HAMDEN CT - By a slight 52 – 40 percent majority, Pennsylvania voters want to continue the state’s current winner-take-all Electoral College system, rather than switch to a system where Electoral College votes are awarded based on the winner in each congressional district, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released this week.

Voters say 57 – 32 percent that Republicans in the State Legislature want to switch to a district-by-district count to help Republican presidential candidates, rather than to better reflect the will of the voters, the poll finds.

And voters say 51 – 38 percent that the switch will diminish Pennsylvania’s importance as a key presidential swing state.

Keep winner-take-all, Democrats say 63 – 30 percent and independent voters say 53 – 43 percent.  Republicans are divided 44 – 48 percent.  Support for the current system is strongest in Southeast Pennsylvania, 62 – 34 percent, and Philadelphia, 59 – 29 percent.  Support for a shift to district-by-district is strongest in Northwest Pennsylvania, 49 – 48 percent.

The shift would help Republicans, Democrats say 78 – 14 percent and independent voters say 61 – 30 percent.  Republicans say 57 – 29 percent the switch would better reflect voter will.

“Pennsylvania voters say stick to the winner-take-all formula used in most states: Whoever gets the most popular votes, wins all of the state’s Electoral College votes,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 

“Pennsylvania voters think abandoning the traditional Electoral College formula would  reduce the state’s swing state clout.

In the Republican presidential primary race, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has 18 percent, with 16 percent for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, 12 percent for former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, 8 percent for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and no other candidate, including Minnesota U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, above 6 percent.