Virginia Joins National Popular Vote Compact, Raising Total to 222 Electoral Votes

In Brief

The move increases momentum for efforts to elect the U.S. president by national popular vote rather than the Electoral College.

Key Facts

• Virginia has joined the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
• The Compact now includes states and the District of Columbia representing 222 electoral votes.
• Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed the National Popular Vote bill into law.
• The Compact consists of 17 other states and the District of Columbia in addition to Virginia.
• The Compact would assign a state's presidential electors to the winner of the national popular vote once enough states join to reach 270 electoral votes.

What Happened

Virginia enacted legislation to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which aims to allocate its presidential electors to the national popular vote winner once a threshold is met.

Why It Matters

This development brings the Compact closer to the 270 electoral votes needed for it to take effect, potentially changing how U.S. presidents are elected and reducing the role of the Electoral College.

What's Next

Observers are watching whether additional states will join the Compact to reach the 270-vote threshold required for implementation.