MUNSTER, Ind. — Indiana would gain more political influence by splitting its electoral votes, says a Democratic legislator who wants to change the current system.

        State Rep. Jerry Denbo of French Lick plans to introduce legislation to do away with the state's winner-take-all approach to the Electoral College and adopt a system that awards votes based on election results in individual congressional districts.

        The latter method already is used in Nebraska and Maine.

        Under the current system, all of Indiana's 12 electoral votes — one from each of the state's 10 congressional districts and two at-large — are awarded to the presidential candidate capturing the popular vote.

        This year, the winner was Republican George W. Bush. The state has not elected a Democrat for president since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
       

Additional impact
               Under Mr. Denbo's proposal, the two at-large electors would still go to the presidential candidate winning the statewide popular vote, but the others would be determined by results in individual congressional districts.

        Such an approach could have had an impact on this year's presidential race. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win. Unofficial results show Vice President Al Gore has 267 votes and Mr. Bush has 246, with Florida's 25 electoral votes still up for grabs.

        If Mr. Bush eventually wins those electors, the Texas governor would defeat Mr. Gore by four votes.

        Indiana Democratic officials say that, under a different system, at least a few of those Bush votes might have gone to Mr. Gore because the vice president won at least two, and maybe three, Hoosier congressional districts.
       

"Cynicism 101'
               “Imagine if we would have pulled three votes out of the George Bush column,” state Democratic Chairman Robin Winston said. “Bush never would have gotten over the hump.”

        Mr. Winston said Mr. Denbo's proposal “is very interesting. After this election, anything we can do to make people more involved is going to be worthwhile. I'm battling Cynicism 101 right now” because a lot of voters feel disenfranchised.

        Republicans called Mr. Denbo's plan a blatant political maneuver.

        “While we have a very dra matic national scene currently, I think we need to think carefully before we make a knee-jerk change,” said House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis. “This is a system that's worked well for a couple of centuries.”
       

Higher profile
               Mr. Denbo said he has been considering similar legislation for years, but only recently realized that state lawmakers have the authority to determine how electors are chosen.

        Mr. Denbo also said a different system might raise Indiana's political profile in future presidential races.

        The state is normally considered a lock for Republicans, so both major party candidates spend little time campaigning in the state.

        “We get overlooked,” Mr. Denbo said. “Presidential candidates fly from Ohio to Illinois or from Michigan to Kentucky, and they don't stop here. As a result, we're neglected when it comes time to pass out the money in Washington, D.C.”

        But Mr. Denbo predicted the measure could face resistance in the General Assembly, especially in the Republican-led Senate.

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Proposal aims to split Indiana electoral votes