TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey is close to entering a compact that would eliminate the power of the Electoral College to choose a president if enough states endorse the idea.

The state Senate voted Thursday to approve delivering the state's 15 electoral votes for president to the winner of the national popular vote. The Assembly approved the measure in December and needs Gov. Jon S. Corzine's signature to become law.

''The bill is subject to a thorough review, but Gov. Corzine has long been a supporter of this concept,'' Corzine spokesman Jim Gardner said.

The measure could result in the electoral votes going to a candidate opposed by voters in New Jersey, which has backed Democratic presidential candidates since 1988.

The compact would take effect only if enough states -- those with a majority of votes in the Electoral College -- agreed to it. A candidate needs 270 of 538 electoral votes to win.

So far, Maryland -- with 10 electoral votes -- is the only state to pass the compact into law.

It has also passed both houses of the Illinois Legislature, according to the National Popular Vote movement, and has been approved by one legislative house in Arkansas, Colorado and North Carolina.

Governors in California and Hawaii vetoed bills to join the compact.

The goal is to ensure the national popular vote winner becomes president. Democrats who sponsored the bill have noted that their party's nominee, Al Gore, won the popular vote in 2000 but lost in the Electoral College.

Sponsors contend the agreement would ensure that all states are competitive in presidential elections, make all votes important and guarantee the presidency to the person who received the most votes.

Republicans criticized the bill as undermining federal elections by eliminating a factor that forces candidates to pay attention to voters in smaller states.