Fresh off sweeping midterm victories, Democratic lawmakers are preparing a renewed push to fundamentally alter how America elects presidents by replacing the Electoral College with a national popular vote system. The plan, which has simmered for decades but gained urgency after recent elections where the popular vote loser won the presidency, could now have a viable path forward.
The National Popular Vote Compact Gains Steam
At the center of the effort is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement already adopted by 18 states and Washington D.C. that would require participating states to award their electoral votes to the national popular vote winner, regardless of state-level results. The compact currently holds 222 electoral votes but needs to reach 270 β the threshold to win the presidency β to take effect.
Democrats’ newfound control of both legislative chambers and governorships in five battleground states β Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada β has suddenly made that goal appear within reach. Adding these states would provide more than enough electoral votes to activate the agreement.
Midterm Wins Provide Political Opening
“This blue tsunami is really going to help push this forward across the whole nation,” Michigan state Rep. Carrie Rheingans told The New York Times, referring to Democratic gains in state governments. Lawmakers in several states have already begun drafting legislation to join the compact for their next legislative sessions, with some aiming to implement changes before the 2028 election.
The effort previously stalled in Nevada in 2019 when Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak vetoed legislation to join the compact, but the political landscape has shifted significantly since then. The compact’s supporters argue the current system unfairly weights small states’ influence and creates campaigns focused only on swing states.
Legal and Political Hurdles Remain
Even if enough states sign on, the plan would face significant legal challenges. “It’s a very real possibility that enough states join this compact,” election law expert Derek Muller of Notre Dame told the Times. “There will be a lot of challenges.” Interstate compacts traditionally require congressional approval, setting up a potential constitutional showdown.
The push gained momentum after the 2000 and 2016 elections, where Republican presidents won the White House while losing the popular vote. A June 2026 YouGov poll found 56% of Americans support electing presidents by popular vote rather than the Electoral College system that has decided every U.S. presidential election since 1789.
Source: www.dailywire.com β https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-have-a-plan-to-use-midterm-blowout-to-undo-electoral-college