Neuter the Electoral College: Former Independent Presidential Candidate John Anderson is campaigning for a new way to elect the president

I ran into John Anderson, a former Republican congressman who represented the Rockford area in northern Illinois, presiding over a press conference Thursday, called to gin up interest in revamping a system where the candidate who has the most votes does not always win. (Remember Al Gore in 2000).

Anderson’s group, named National Popular Vote, has a different approach: Try to get state legislatures to pass laws mandating that the states electors vote for the winner of the popular vote.

Civics 101 refresher: The U.S. president is not directly elected by voters; its the electoral votes that really count.

In Illinois, a bill to advance National Popular Vote’s plan was introduced by state Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-Chicago), with chief co-sponsor state Sen. Kirk W. Dillard (R-Hinsdale), the chairman of the DuPage County GOP.

Springfield status: sitting in the state Senate Rules Committee, which in this short session (set to adjourn April 7), does not bode well. The bill is not yet even assigned to a committee to consider the merits of the plan.