What is the National Popular Vote Compact?

The National Popular Vote Compact (NPVC) is an agreement among states in the United States to award their respective electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The NPVC does not replace the Electoral College, but rather it encourages states to award their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who receives the most overall votes nationwide. In order for the NPVC to take effect, states must pledge to award their electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia have enacted the National Popular Vote law, and they are: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, Connecticut, Maryland, New Mexico, Colorado, Vermont, Oregon, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. Besides these 15 states, South Dakota has not yet joined the compact. In simple terms, the NPVC is designed to ensure that the candidate who wins the national popular vote will also win the Electoral College. The goal of the NPVC is to ensure that the Electoral College vote reflects the will of the people, and that the presidential candidate who receives the most overall votes nationwide is the one who wins the election.

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What is the National Popular Vote Compact?

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