Might 2024 be the Swan Song for the Electoral College?

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an agreement among a group of U.S. states and the District of Columbia to award all their electoral votes to whichever presidential ticket wins the overall popular vote in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The NPVIC would go into effect when the number of states who have signed on equals a minimum of 270 Electoral College (EC) votes.

This means that no alteration to the US Constitution would be necessary.

It’s a nuanced idea: Article 2, Section 1, of the Constitution states:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

Currently, each state appoints Electors to the EC who enforce the popular vote of that state.¹ Under the NPVIC, the Electors would be tied to the popular vote nationwide. Because the states would not be violating the Constitution, there would be no need for an amendment, and the messy process of Congressional passage followed by ratification by the states.

Everything you could want to know about the NPVIC is here. There’s a link on the menu bar to newspapers by state, in case you want to send a Letter to the Editor.

Currently, states with a total EC vote of 209 have signed on. Map source.

David Nir has a great article on how enough states could potentially get us over the 270 threshold by 2028. If his analysis comes true, we’re done with the EC after this year.

1. Maine and Nebraska separate their EC votes, but in all other states it’s winner take all.