National Popular Vote launches direct Presidential election plan

// Published February 23, 2006
Live from the National Press Club at 14th and F Streets, Washington, D.C.

Members of the National Popular Vote campaign are gathered here at the National Press Club to launch a state-based plan to implement direct election of the President of the United States. The plan is outlined in Every Vote Equal: A State-Based Plan for Electing the President by National Popular Vote.

Also in attendance:

  • Congressman John Anderson, former independent Presidential candidate and FairVote Chairman
  • Senator Birch Bayh
  • Congressman John Buchanan
  • Atty. Barry Fadem of NPV, co-author
  • Dr. John Koza, co-author
  • Rob Richie, FairVote Executive Director and co-author
  • Chellie Pingree, President and CEO of Common Cause
  • members of the press
  • members of the public

The plan is a law any state can enact to allocate all its Electoral College votes to the national, popular winner. The interstate compact would not go into effect until enough states had signed on such that the sum of their electoral votes is a majority of those in the College, guaranteeing election to the popular winner.

Update:

More coverage of the plan in:

Chicago Tribune

Rick Hasen's Election Law blog

Daily Kos

The 11th Hour

Op-ed by FairVote's Rob Richie and Ryan O'Donnell at Op-ed News

Comments currently closed for National Popular Vote launches direct Presidential election plan

  • [...] plan was unveiled seven weeks ago, legislators in five states have introduced drafts. In Staff | Permalink| [...]

    Posted by The FairVote Blog » First passage of national popular vote bill in CO Senate, 2006-04-14 15:02:36 (7 years ago)

  • The National Popular Vote plan doesn't address the spoiler problem; it is focused on the current problem of 2/3 of our country being locked out of presidential elections. Obviously FairVote is a strong supporter of reforms like Instant Runoff Voting but even without a spoiler solution this opportunity is too exciting to pass up.

    Posted by Chris, 2006-02-27 18:34:55 (7 years ago)

  • This is a very creative plan. I think it will actually get enacted. Exciting! Does this plan fix the spoiler problem (i.e. Ralph Nader effect)? As best as I can tell, it will not fix that problem. Keep up the good work.

    Posted by Rob, 2006-02-23 23:29:39 (7 years ago)

  • The interstate compact would not go into effect until enough states had signed on such that the sum of their electoral votes is a majority of those in the College, guaranteeing election to the popular winner.
    This is the key to the plan. See The Shrinking Battleground. The number of states receiving attention from Presidential candidates really is quite few. For one state to pass the plan alone would be foolish, especially if that state were one of the few to receive attention (and promises). But states can sign on without fear. The plan does not go into effect - i.e. such states do not turn their Electoral College votes over to the national winner - until enough states have signed on to guarantee 270 votes to the national popular winner. In other words, states have nothing to lose by adopting the plan while other states consider doing so.
    Posted by Jack, 2006-02-23 12:29:58 (7 years ago)