June 2025 Update
Breaking News
Maine Senate defeats effort to pull state out of national popular vote compact
Maine enacted the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) on April 15, 2024, when Governor Janet Mills allowed the bill to become law without her signature. Maine’s decision made it the 18th jurisdiction to join the compact, bringing the total number of electoral votes represented by the compact to 209. However, it’s important to note the following:
- The compact will only take effect if states representing at least 270 electoral votes join.
- 70% of Mainers approve of electing the president by National Popular Vote
- Maine is one of only two states who do not use the winner-take-all and instead allocate their electors by district.
- There was recent discussion and action in the Maine Legislature regarding potentially withdrawing from the compact.
- The Maine House of Representatives voted to repeal the law on May 20, 2025, but the Maine Senate rejected the effort to withdraw on June 16, 2025
News from NPV National Website
The NPV website currently features this 9-minute video with comedian Michael Kosta from the Daily Show and CNN’s John King. Well worth watching both for laughs as well as important facts about NPV. Click Here to Watch the Video
What’s Happening in Florida?
FNPV Hosts 3 Events at Florida LWV Bi-Annual Convention!
Floridians for National Popular vote held three successful sessions at the bi-annual Convention of the Florida League of Women Voters. The Convention, held from Thursday, June 5th through Saturday, June 7th at the Doubletree Hotel in Orlando, provided FNPV with the opportunity to organize, educate and network with LWV members from across the state.
The first session on June 5th from 1 to 5 PM and was attended by 26 NPV advocates from across the State. It opened with greetings from steering committee member Deb Mazzaferro, followed by steering committee member Paul Carden presenting the results of the recently commissioned Florida University Survey on National Popular Vote. A brief history of the Electoral College was offered by Steering Committee chair Kathleen Crampton, which included debunking the myth that the Founding Fathers wanted the Electoral College to work the way it does today.
The attendees had the opportunity to watch a video featuring Tara Ross, a professional advocate who opposes NPV, followed by a summary review prepared by Dan Lishansky, refuting each of her arguments.
A key presenter was Patrick (Rosie) Rosenstiel, consultant to NPV. He emphasized the importance of developing relationships with state legislators in order to get NPV passed by a given state’s legislative body. Rosenstiel and Mazzaferro presented a list of the most likely states to pass NPV in the next few years whose electoral college votes would bring the count close to the 270 needed votes. These states are Virginia (13), Pennsylvania (19), Michigan (15), and Arizona (11).
Goal-setting for 2025-2026 Legislative Session in Florida included targeting 30 co-sponsors for the NPV bill. (The current session had 21 sponsors.) Continuing to educate the public was also set as a priority, with 50 presentations as the number to strive for. Suggestions for how to meet your legislators were offered by Committee member Valerie Schulz and Ana Villalobos, the aide to State Senator Arrington. The session closed with Kathleen Crampton presenting a list of suggestions for securing presentation engagements.
The day concluded with Event #2, dinner at a Mexican restaurant where 36 people enjoyed a meal, and the opportunity to network with other NPV advocates.
On Friday, June 6th, FNPV hosted a caucus for attendees at the Convention, many of whom were unfamiliar with NPV. Thirty-eight people attended the presentation by Committee member Sarah Peacock, as well as Patrick Rosenstiel who shared his experiences getting NPV passed in Minnesota. A Q & A followed.
Additional information on NPV was shared via an information table staffed by FNPV members.
Florida Legislative Update
Thanks to the leadership of Senator Kristen Arrington and Representative Michael Gottlieb, 21 State legislators co-sponsored NPV bills HB-33 and SB-208. Moving forward, we hope to expand that number and add more representatives interested in good government.
To express our thanks, each legislator was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for their sponsorship. Below is a copy of the Certificate indicating the names of all of the recipients.
Deb Mazzaferro and Ana Villalobos, aide to Senator Arrington
Local Presentations
On Tuesday, April 15th, Kathleen Crampton gave a special-request presentation on behalf of FNPV at a private home in Palm Beach. Over forty people attended the event, which was well received by a very interested audience. A lively Q & A followed.
Kathleen Crampton presenting at private home in Palm Beach
The Democratic Women’s Club of Marco Island hosted an informational session about NPV on Tuesday, June 10. The presenter was Suzanne Low of the League of Women Voters who is also a part of the FNPV team.
On Thursday, June 12, the Heritage Isle Democratic Club (Melbourne) learned about NPV from Steering Committee member Valerie Schulz. About 20 people attended the 30-minute presentation, followed by a Q & A.
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 traditional and appropriate way to change the method of electing the President is a constitutional amendment.
Reality: State action is the appropriate way to change the method of awarding electoral votes, because it is the mechanism that is explicitly built into the U.S. Constitution (Article II, Section 1). Winner-take-all exists today only because of state laws – not because of any constitutional amendment. Accordingly, state winner-take-all laws may be repealed in the same manner as they were originally adopted, namely changing state law.
(Source: Every Vote Equal)
Meet the FNPV Steering Committee: Paul Carder
Paul Carder retired in 1995, after a long career in advertising. At the time of his retirement, he was Chairman/CEO of DDB Group of Companies (Canada) and CEO, DDB Advertising. Post-retirement, he remained very active in a variety of settings, including academia.
He has extensive not-for-profit experience both in Canada and Florida, with an emphasis on the arts, and now as part of the FNPV Steering Committee.
Paul became interested in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact following the 2016 election. He states that “it just didn’t seem right that the winner of the popular vote was not elected President.” Several Years later a friend, who was aware of his interest, introduced him to a member of the steering committee for FNPV. His belief in NPV — making sure that every vote counts equally, no matter where the voter lives — has grown even stronger with his involvement. Paul believes that NPV is an elegant solution to the problems created by the Electoral College.
Paul holds an MBA from Harvard University. He is married to Jacqueline MacNeil, has four children and three grandchildren.