A national effort to circumvent the Electoral College has gained another state.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a bill Monday that adds the state to the National Popular Vote Compact, an agreement among states to award their presidential electoral votes to the nationwide popular vote winner.
With Virginia, the total number of states signed on to the interstate compact is now 18, plus the District of Columbia, for a total of 222 electoral votes.
The compact doesn’t go into effect, though, until there are enough states signed up to reach the required 270 electoral votes to elect a president.
If they enact it early it would be effectively dead in the water because it would still leave the decision up to swing states, and people would lose confidence in the movement. Holding off until it’s a sure thing gives it a whole lot more power.
Either way, it’s still a couple more years until the next general election cycle spins up, they may have it locked in by then.