Path to Getting the Additional 48 Electoral Votes Needed to Activate the National Popular Vote Compact

Current Status of the Compact

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact will take effect when enacted into law by states possessing 270 electoral votes (a majority of the 538 electoral votes).

As of April 2026, the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact has been enacted into law in 19 jurisdictions possessing 222 electoral votes, including

6 small jurisdictions (Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia),
10 medium-sized states (Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington), and
3 big states (California, Illinois, and New York).

The Compact will take effect when enacted by states possessing an additional 48 electoral votes.

The Compact governs a particular presidential election if, on July 20 of a presidential election year, it is in effect in states having 270 or more electoral votes.

These 19 jurisdictions with 222 electoral votes are shown in green on the map below. On the map, each square represents one electoral vote (out of 538).

Map design (various versions) courtesty of Craig Barratt, Victor-Bobier, Jeff Pfoser, and Chris Pearson

Various Paths to Getting the Remaining 48 Electoral Votes

Six states with 65 electoral votes (Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) are especially promising places for obtaining the 48 electoral votes needed to activate the Compact. They are yellow on the map above.

An article entitled "Could We Actually Elect the President by National Popular Vote in 2028?" by Chris Bowers discusses five particular states with 61 electoral votes (Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) as a possible path to getting the remaining 48 electoral votes.

The 2-minute video by Mother Jones writer Ari Berman mentions the same five states as a possible path to getting the remaining 48 electoral votes.

Map from Ari Berman video

Overall, the National Popular Vote Compact has now passed a total of 44 legislative chambers in 24 states. The Compact has also passed at least one legislative chamber in 6 additional states possessing 61 electoral votes (Arkansas, Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma). The bill has passed both houses of the Nevada legislature at various times. The National Popular Vote bill has been introduced in all 50 states at various times. The map below shows the progress of the bill in each state.

Click here for chronological history of enactments.

The states are listed below alphabetically.

Alaska

Alabama

Arkansas - Passed House in 2007 and 2009

Arizona - Passed House in 2016

California - Enacted into law

Colorado - Enacted into law in 2019 by legislature and Governor, and approved by Colorado voters on November 3, 2020

Connecticut - Enacted into law

District of Columbia - Enacted into law

Delaware - Enacted into law

Florida

Georgia - Unanimously approved by House committee in 2016

Hawaii - Enacted into law

Iowa

Idaho

Illinois - Enacted into law

Massachusetts - Enacted into law

Maryland - Enacted into law

Maine - Enacted into law

Michigan - Passed House in 2008. Passed House committee in 2023.

Minnesota - Enacted into law

Missouri - Unanimously approved by House committee in 2016

Mississippi

Montana

North Carolina - Passed Senate in 2007

North Dakota

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey - Enacted into law

New Mexico - Enacted into law

Nevada - Passed Assembly in 2009; passed the Assembly and Senate in 2019, but vetoed; Passed Assembly and Senate in 2023 as a constitutional amendment

New York - Enacted into law

Ohio

Oklahoma - Passed Senate in 2015

Oregon - Enacted into law

Pennsylvania - Informational hearing held in 2025.

Rhode Island - Enacted into law

Virginia - Enacted into law