Midst all the chaos that is Trump II, we have sort of lost sight of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which could have the effect (without a Constitutional Amendment) of nullifying the disproportionality of the Electoral College system. If you aren't aware of its existence, I recommend Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_CompactAs of right now (Oct 27, 2025), the compact needs 61 more electoral votes to hit the 270-vote trigger. Member states plus D.C. total 209 electoral votes; Maine and Minnesota were the most recent additions, and an effort to withdraw Maine this year failed to clear both chambers, so Maine remains in. AP News+2National Popular Vote+2
On "who's next," the best clues come from states where the bill has already shown legislative traction (passed one chamber or more), or where there's a live pathway like a constitutional amendment. Recent trackers point to these as the likeliest near-term candidates, contingent on party control and gubernatorial veto dynamics:
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Michigan (15 EV): Democratic lawmakers pushed NPVIC in 2024–25; the measure has seen activity and public analysis, but final enactment has not happened yet. It remains a plausible pickup if legislative and executive alignment holds. Ballotpedia+1
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Nevada (6 EV): The legislature has passed NPVIC before (a 2019 bill was vetoed), and a 2026 constitutional amendment route is in motion—making Nevada one of the clearer structural paths for adoption. Ballotpedia
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Virginia (13 EV): The bill has cleared at least one chamber in past sessions; success likely hinges on governor/legislature alignment in a future session. National Popular Vote
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Arizona (11 EV), North Carolina (16 EV), Oklahoma (7 EV), Arkansas (6 EV): Each has seen the bill pass one chamber at some point, so they're on the "watch list," though current partisan control and prior outcomes make near-term passage less certain.
As you can see by adding up the votes, we need quite a few states, but it is far from unthinkable. As with all manner of reforms necessary to make sure that the MAGA catastrophe that has enveloped our nation is not only undone but reformed out of the possibility of happening again, it will require reaching voters in RED STATES in large numbers to effect change. We simply cannot be satisfied with the bi-coastal (plus Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado and New Mexico) "blue nation" politics within which we have thusfar been trying to work. We have to convince people in Iowa, the Dakotas, Montana, Utah, Arizona, even Texas and North Carolina, that Trumpism is not working for them and that if we don't restore the possibility of electing people who will actually put the interests of working people over the interests of billionaires and megacorporations, we will descend permanently into kleptocratic autocracy. Of course, this message needs to be popularized and presented effectively, but we simply cannot fail at this: the future of our country depends on it. The Popular Vote Compact is but one step along the path, but it is a step, and could make all the difference.
Thanks for reading this far... we have to hang together, friends, or we will, as I believe it was the inestimable Ben Franklin who said it: we will hang separately.
N.B. Both states with which I associate myself, Oregon and California, have passed the NPVIC.
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