A Democratic legislator wants to change the way American presidents are elected, and he wants the Georgia General Assembly to help.

State Rep. Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta) believes the candidate who gets the most popular votes should become president.

Currently, candidates for president are elected by an Electoral College process established in the Constitution. A candidate who gets 270 Electoral College votes is elected. States with larger populations — such as California, Texas and New York — have more Electoral College votes, which means presidential candidates spend a large amount of their time campaigning in those bigger key states.

Holmes doesn’t think that’s right, so he filed House Bill 630. Under the bill, states would be able to approve an interstate compact that allows electors to cast their votes for the candidate who wins the popular vote. For example, if the majority of Georgia voters cast their ballots for a Republican candidate, but the Democratic candidate won more popular votes throughout the U.S., Georgia’s electors would be required to give their Electoral College votes to the Democratic candidate.

If enough states — with 270 of the 538 Electoral College votes needed for victory — agree to the compact, it would ensure that the candidate with the most popular votes gets elected. Holmes said such nterstate compacts are allowed by the Constitution, though they appear to require congressional approval.

Four presidents throughout history have won the office without a popular vote. President Bush was the last, winning office in 2000 even though Democrat Al Gore received more popular votes.

Holmes could not get a Republican co-sponsor and he acknowledges the bill faces a tough time in the GOP-controlled House.

But Holmes said he at least wants to start a discussion on the subject. And he notes Republicans could eventually be on the receiving end of losing the popular vote.

“The president of the United States is the most powerful office in the world,” Holmes said today. It is, however, the only office in the world that a person can be elected to and receive fewer votes than the person that he defeats.”

Holmes said changing the process will also help make sure that presidential candidates campaign in states other than so-called “battleground” states where large Electoral College votes are at stake.

Holmes said polls show Americans favor a national popular vote plan by 70 percent.