April 2026 Special Update
Floridians for National Popular Vote Hails Virginia as 19th Jurisdiction to Join Compact
On April 13, 2026, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed a bill making The Commonwealth of Virginia the 19th jurisdiction to enact the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). The bill was passed by the Virginia House of Delegates during the 2026 legislative session.
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is a constitutional alternative to the current Electoral College system of electing the president of the United States. The states that are part of the Compact have committed to casting all their Electoral College votes to the presidential candidate that wins the nation-wide popular vote. Under the current system the presidency is the only elected office out of 519,000 elected officials where the plurality does not rule. The person who wins the most votes is not guaranteed to win the presidency.
Adoption of the NPVIC would offer many advantages over the way electors currently cast their votes. Presidential candidates would have incentive to campaign in every state because every vote would count. Today, candidates campaign only in the 5 to 7 battleground or “swing” states. Since Florida is now considered solidly Republican, our state and the concerns of its citizens are virtually ignored during a presidential campaign.
NPVIC would likely increase voter turnout in all 50 states since every vote would count equally. Larger turnout reduces risk of voter fraud having an impact on the outcome of the election.
NPVIC has bi-partisan support among voters. A Pew Research Study conducted in 2024 indicated that 63% of Americans favored the NPVIC over the current system. Similarly in Florida a poll conducted by Florida Atlantic University resulted in 57% of Floridians in favor of the change.
Eighteen states plus the District of Columbia have already passed the NPVIC, for a total of 222 Electoral votes, or 82% of the 270 electoral votes needed to elect the president. They are shown in green on the map below. Six additional states with a total of 65 electoral votes (Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) are especially promising for joining the coalition. They are yellow on the map below. It would take just 48 more votes for the Compact to be implemented as early as the 2028 or 2032 presidential election.
