February 2025 Update

February 8, 2025 in NPV Florida Monthly Updates

News from National

Breakdown of 2024 Election

The 2024 general-election campaign for President was concentrated on just 7 closely divided states. These 7 states have a little less than 20% of the U.S. population. That is, 80% of Americans were mere spectators to the 2024 presidential election.

Because of the state winner-take-all laws for awarding electoral votes, presidential candidates only pay attention to votes in closely divided battleground states. These are states where the two-party vote is in the narrow range of about six percentage points (47%-53%). As a result, the majority of Americans only get to see and hear the candidates on their TV screens.

Data compiled by FairVote reveals that of the 262 general-election campaign events of the 2024 race, 246 (94%) were in the 7 closely divided battleground states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin). Twelve other states were hosts to 1 – 3 events, while the rest of the country was not visited by either one of the candidates.

For more in depth information check the NPV website: http://www.nationalpopularvote.com

What’s Happening in Florida?

National Popular Vote Bills to go before State legislature

State Senator Geraldine Thompson (D) and State Representative Michael Gottlieb (D) have each filed a bill recommending that legislators vote to adopt the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact for the State of Florida. Each has begun enlisting co-sponsorship for Senate bill SB 208 and House bill HB 33.

The same bills were filed last year by Gottlieb and by former Senator Victor Torres. The 2024 NPV bills received support from 16 House members and 8 Senators. Both Gottlieb and Thompson are committed to securing additional bi-partisan support from colleagues in 2025. To learn how a bill is passed in Florida use this link. To find your representatives, use this link.

The Florida legislature convenes on March 4, 2025. We urge you to contact your local representatives and tell them to support these bills.

Local Happenings

On January 29 at 1:00 pm 40+ people attended a virtual presentation entitled “What Exactly Is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact?” Steering Committee members Sarah Peacock and Paul Carder, both of St. Petersburg, were the presenters. The thirty-minute program was followed by a lively Q & A session.

On Wednesday, February 5th, the organization Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy hosted FNPV steering committee chair Kathleen Crampton as it’s quarterly speaker. The in-person event, attended by 40 members, was held at the Coral Gables Congregational Church. Kathleen’s presentation outlined the problems with the current system of electing the president using the “winner take all” method of choosing state electors. Most of the attendees were professional women who were born in Cuba but emigrated to the US after Castro took control of the country. The group, which was formed two years ago, now has over 200 members. Among those attending was Elena Piro who was a Democratic elector for Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Pictured above: Left to right: Carolina Camp, President of Cuban American Women; Kathleen Crampton, Chair of FNPV; Annie Bettencourt, Program Chair of Cuban American Women

Daniel Lishansky addressed a Zoom audience on Thursday, February 6th at the invitation of the League of Women Voters Voter Services. Approximately 20 people logged on for a 15-minute presentations followed by a lively 30-minute Q & A session. People asked about the mechanics of how National Popular Vote would be implemented. It was explained that adopting the NPV would not require a constitutional amendment, as some people believe.

Upcoming Events

Three additional opportunities this month to learn more about the National Popular Vote!

Thursday, February 13th from 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET, please join Sarah Peacock for a “lunch and learn” seminar. Register here.

Tuesday, February 25th, those in the area can join Sarah for an in-person presentation at the Clearwater Public Library from 12:30 – 1:30 pm ET. The League of Women Voters North Pinellas County is the host.

February 25th at 1:00 pm ET you can join a webinar entitled National Popular Vote Interstate Compact: What, How, and Why? Use this link to register.

Watch this space for information on upcoming educational programs. If you’re part of a group that would like to learn more about NPV, either in-person or via Zoom, our Speaker’s Bureau is here to help. To schedule a speaker, please click here.

Myth Busters

There are many misconceptions about the Electoral College and how the proposed National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, when enacted, will affect future elections. Each issue of the Newsletter will address one of these commonly held beliefs.

Myth: The Founding Fathers designed the current system of electing the president.

Reality: The electoral system that we have today was not designed, anticipated, or favored by the Founding Fathers. Instead, it is a result of decades of evolutionary change driven primarily by the emergence of political parties and the desire of each state’s dominant political party not to let the state’s minority party get any of the state’s electoral votes.

(Source: Every Vote Equal)

Meet the FNPV Steering Committee: Daniel Lishansky

Daniel Lishansky has spent his career in government and information systems technologies. He is a former Police Deputy Chief and an attorney. Daniel serves on the statewide Steering Committee of Floridians for National Popular Vote and is the Chair of the Palm Beach County District.

He is an advocate for National Popular Vote because it is a conservative and constitutional remedy for the inequities created by winner-take-all in the states. Its adoption will make every vote count and every vote will count equally.

In addition to National Popular Vote, Daniel has been active with several civil rights and non-profit groups, and regularly registers new voters as part of his work with the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County.