Virginia Just Joined the Quest to Make Every Vote Count for President

Virginia just made a move that could fundamentally change how America picks its presidents. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed a bill officially adding the state to the National Popular Vote Compact — an agreement where states pledge their electoral votes to whichever candidate wins the nationwide popular vote.

Basically, it's a bypass around the Electoral College, without needing a constitutional amendment. Because apparently, that's where we are now.

Virginia is the 18th state to sign on, bringing the compact's total to 222 electoral votes, plus the District of Columbia. The whole thing only kicks in when enough states join to hit 270 electoral votes — that magic number needed to actually elect a president. Let that satisfying number sink in.

The Long Road to 270

Alyssa Cass, a strategist for the National Popular Vote Project, points out this isn't some overnight sensation. This effort started two decades ago, slowly but surely gaining bipartisan traction across the country. And while 222 electoral votes is a decent chunk, they still need dozens more. Which states might be next? That's the million-dollar question. And even if they hit 270, expect the lawyers to come out in full force.

For Virginia, the stars aligned when Democrats took control of both the governor's office and the legislature last year. State House Delegate Dan Helmer, a Democrat, called it a decade-long grind, framing it as a crucial step to protect American democracy. Because, you know, these days, protecting democracy sometimes involves creative workarounds.

Interestingly, most Americans, according to Pew Research, prefer a popular vote president. But, of course, there's a partisan divide bigger than the Grand Canyon: 80% of Democrats are on board, while only 46% of Republicans are. This might have something to do with the last two presidents who won without the popular vote being Republicans (George W. Bush in 2000 and Donald Trump in 2016). Just a thought.

Patrick Rosenstiel, a Republican consultant for National Popular Vote, argues that his party would also benefit. He says focusing on a handful of battleground states means candidates ignore the interests of most Americans. If every voter in every precinct suddenly mattered, he believes, it would fundamentally shift election dynamics. Cass agrees, noting that four out of five Americans in reliably red or blue states essentially have their presidential votes rendered irrelevant under the current system. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying.

Is This Even Legal?

Supporters say this compact is way easier than a constitutional amendment, arguing the Constitution explicitly gives states the power to assign electors as they see fit. Courts, they say, have consistently upheld this.

However, not everyone's buying it. Some legal eagles argue the framers specifically rejected a popular vote for president. Others say big electoral changes, like universal suffrage, have always required an amendment, and this should be no different. Iowa's Deputy Solicitor General, Patrick Valencia, has even written that the compact tries to "usurp the constitutionally required electoral procedures" by keeping the Electoral College but twisting its arm on how votes are assigned.

Rosenstiel fully expects a flurry of lawsuits if they hit 270 votes. But he's confident the compact is built on solid constitutional ground, specifically Article 2, Section 1, which grants states broad power over electors. He believes any challenge will be won by those who want every single voter to matter. Because, in a democracy, that's kind of the point.