The Rhode Island Senate has passed a bill that would join the state to a movement to have the U.S. president elected by the national popular vote.
Eight other states, including Massachusetts and Vermont, have also approved the measure to change the Electoral College system. It would commit a majority of electors to the candidate who receives the most popular votes nationwide.
Most states have winner-take-all arrangements in which all of their electoral votes go to the candidate who wins the majority of votes in that state.
The proposed change would guarantee that the winner of the national popular vote becomes president.
It would not go into effect unless or until participating states together hold a majority of the Electoral College votes.
The Rhode Island House is expected to take up the measure soon.
