Electoral College Reform: What’s Being Proposed in 2026

The most advanced reform effort is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). States in the compact agree to award all their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote — but only when enough states to constitute 270 electoral votes have joined.

As of May 2026, states representing 209 electoral votes have joined, 61 short of the 270 threshold. The compact includes California, New York, Illinois, Washington, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont, Minnesota, Oregon, Delaware, New Mexico, Maine, and the District of Columbia.

For the compact to reach 270, several more states must join. Michigan (15 EV), Nevada (6 EV), and Virginia (13 EV) are the most plausible next additions. No Republican-dominated state has joined despite some having passed the compact in one legislative chamber.

Abolishing the Electoral College entirely requires a constitutional amendment — two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and three-fourths of states (38 of 50). Given that small states benefit from the EC’s two-senator bonus for electoral votes, this path faces nearly insurmountable obstacles.

A June 2023 Gallup poll found 62% of Americans support abolishing the Electoral College in favor of a national popular vote. Despite majority support, structural factors make constitutional amendment unlikely.