SPRINGFIELD | An Illinois effort to use the U.S. popular vote to elect the president is in Gov. Rod Blagojevich's hands, but plans to enact nationwide change has come up a few votes short so far.

This month, Illinois lawmakers voted to join a movement that essentially dictates the use of the country's popular vote to elect the president.

But other states need to approve, too, and even if all goes as planned, the change wouldn't start until the 2012 election.

In 2000, the current Electoral College system came under some scrutiny when President Bush was elected despite losing the total nationwide vote to former Vice President Al Gore.

A recent movement to get states to approve laws that would essentially change the system has been in the works for about two years.

Even if Blagojevich signs it into law, it won't take effect until states with electoral votes totaling 270 approve identical legislation.

So far, just Maryland and New Jersey have for a total of 25 votes.

A Blagojevich spokeswoman says the legislation is "under review." If Blagojevich approves, that vote total would be 46. If he doesn't, he'll join Hawaii's governor in vetoing the plan.

John Koaz, chairman of the California-based group pushing the plan, said its purpose is to force presidential candidates to reach out to more of the country's voters.

As an example, Koaz cited Illinois and Indiana. Illinois typically leans Democratic and Indiana toward Republicans, leaving candidates without much of a reason to campaign in either state in the race to the November election.

"It's frankly a waste of their time to even have a bumper sticker in Indiana," he said. "Two-thirds of the country is left out of the current process."

Illinois Board of Elections director Dan White the plan probably wouldn't have an effect on voting systems in the state, but wondered how states that don't adopt it would feel.

"What happens in the other states?" he asked.

The legislation is House Bill 1685.

-- Mike Riopell can be reached at mike.riopell@lee.net or (217) 789-0865.