The support numbers change, however, if the people polled are made to truly understand the impact the EC has.
Are you referring to these polls?
In the 3 state examples of polling 800 voters each with a second question that specifically emphasized that their state’s electoral votes would be awarded to the winner of the national popular vote in all 50 states, not necessarily their state’s winner, there was only a 4-8% decrease of support.
Question 1: “How do you think we should elect the President: Should it be the candidate who gets the most votes in all 50 states, or the current Electoral College system?”
Question 2: “Do you think it more important that a state’s electoral votes be cast for the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in that state, or is it more important to guarantee that the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states becomes president?”
Support for a National Popular Vote
South Dakota — 75% for Question 1, 67% for Question 2.
see http://nationalpopularvote.com/pages...php#SD_2009MAY
Connecticut — 74% for Question 1, 68% for Question 2.
see http://nationalpopularvote.com/pages...php#CT_2009MAY
Utah — 70% for Question 1, 66% for Question 2.
see http://nationalpopularvote.com/pages...php#UT_2009MAY
Most voters don’t care whether their presidential candidate wins or loses in their state . . . they care whether he/she wins the White House. Voters want to know, that even if they were on the losing side, their vote actually was counted and mattered to their candidate.