We're 48 electoral votes from changing how America picks its president — November could decide it
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) changes how we elect the president: member states agree to award their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. The compact activates once participating states reach the 270 electoral votes needed to determine the presidency.
With Virginia becoming the 19th jurisdiction to join on April 13, 2026, we have reached 222 electoral votes—just 48 away from securing a national popular vote.[1]
Currently, "winner-take-all" rules incentivize presidential campaigns to ignore most of the country. In the 2024 election, a staggering 94% of campaign events—246 out of 262—took place in just seven battleground states, representing less than 20% of the U.S. population.[2]
The NPVIC fixes this by ensuring every vote, regardless of where it is cast, counts equally. It compels candidates to campaign everywhere, not just in swing states. With legislation pending in key states such as Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, we are closer than ever to ensuring that the candidate with the most votes actually wins the presidency.[3]
Sources:
"Virginia joins a national effort to ensure only popular vote winners become president." NPR. April 14, 2026.
"Major Party Campaign Events for 2024 Presidential Campaigns." FairVote. November 4, 2024.
"Map Shows States in National Popular Vote Compact as Virginia Joins Effort." Newsweek. April 14, 2026.