Welcome to Obamaha

By Katie Powers

It's a time to be proud for Nebraskans like me. One of our state's five electoral votes was awarded to President-elect Barack Obama. It's the first time since 1964 that any Democratic candidate received an electoral vote in Nebraska.

And if that's not enough trivia for you, it's also the first time since 1892 that a state split its electoral votes.

Nebraska and Maine are the only two states in our country that divide electoral votes based on congressional districts, so the winner in each district receives that district's vote, rather than the winner-take-all system that exists in other states.

This unique system means that even if a whole state is traditionally liberal or conservative, the minority representation will not be lost to the rest of the state.

And for liberals in Nebraska, this is more than a good thing. This election brings us a new source of pride. It means that if you are a Democrat voting in a presidential election in Nebraska, you don't have to surrender to feelings of hopelessness. You have a chance, and you have a voice.

Much of the reason for Obama's success in Omaha relied on his heavy campaigning there. People laughed at Howard Dean when he suggested the Democrats should campaign in small states that were usually ignored, but Obama actually came to Omaha. He spoke to thousands of screaming young people, and he created energy.

Just coming to campaign in Nebraska is a big change, considering Democratic President Bill Clinton had never been to Nebraska until the last year of his presidency. Don't worry, my Nana took me out of grade school to see his address because I couldn't miss that.

So when you coastal people dismiss those "fly-over" red states, think again. And maybe we should all consider the importance of a system that recognizes everyone's opinions in the electoral college.

If we want to live in a world where there are not two Americas, then perhaps we should consider Nebraska. After all, with one blue and four red, Nebraska is the nation's only purple state.

Katie Powers is a communication and history double major and the editor in chief of The Santa Clara.