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Democrats Push to Bypass Electoral College by 2028
· Confirmed
In Short: The compact could be activated if four additional states join, pushing the total to 272 electoral votes.
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Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley discussed criticism of the Electoral College by former 2026 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris on ‘America Reports,’ noting the possibility of bypassing the Electoral College through the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC).
The NPVIC would require participating states to award their presidential electors to the winner of the nationwide popular vote once states representing at least 270 electoral votes have joined. Currently, the compact has 222 electoral votes pledged to it, with 48 votes short of the threshold.
Patrick Rosenstiel, a senior consultant for NPV, expressed confidence in securing the remaining 48 electoral votes needed to activate the compact. He stated, 'I am confident we have multiple paths to secure the 48 electoral votes required to deliver what 63% of Americans want.'
The compact could be activated if four additional states join, pushing the total to 272 electoral votes. These states include Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada, which collectively have 61 electoral votes.
Steven Rogers, a political-science professor at Saint Louis University, noted that Democrats have been focused on the Electoral College since 2016, when they won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College. However, the issue has taken a backseat in recent years.
The current electoral system awards electoral votes to the candidate who wins the statewide vote in all states except Maine and Nebraska. If the compact takes effect, participating states would instead award their electors to the candidate who wins the most votes nationwide, leaving the Electoral College formally in place but making the national tally decisive.
Background
Democrats have recently gained control of key state legislatures, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada, which could push the compact beyond the 270-vote threshold.
Democrats are pushing the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which could take effect if enough states join to reach 270 electoral votes.
What's confirmed
- Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley discussed criticism of the Electoral College by former 2026 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris on ‘America Reports,’ noting the possibility of bypassing the Electoral College through the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC).
- The NPVIC would require participating states to award their presidential electors to the winner of the nationwide popular vote once states representing at least 270 electoral votes have joined. Currently, the compact has 222 electoral votes pledged to it, with 48 votes short of the threshold.
- The compact could be activated if four additional states join, pushing the total to 272 electoral votes. These states include Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada, which collectively have 61 electoral votes.
- Steven Rogers, a political-science professor at Saint Louis University, noted that Democrats have been focused on the Electoral College since 2016, when they won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College. However, the issue has taken a backseat in recent years.
- The current electoral system awards electoral votes to the candidate who wins the statewide vote in all states except Maine and Nebraska. If the compact takes effect, participating states would instead award their electors to the candidate who wins the most votes nationwide, leaving the Electoral College formally in place but making the national tally decisive.
What's still developing
- The last two presidential elections, with 2024 counting more than 2020.
- Bracing for a highly defensive electoral fight, the GOP currently holds a narrow 218–212 advantage in the House and a 53–45 majority in the Senate.
- National Popular Vote (NPV), the nonprofit organization that authored the compact and is campaigning to enact it state by state, says it has identified multiple legislative sponsors in each of the five states whose combined electoral votes could push the compact over the 270-vote threshold.
- The Electoral College, by contrast, was structured to give both populous and smaller states a meaningful role in choosing the president.
- Arizona could push the total to 283 if Democrats ultimately gain control of both chambers there.