It’s official. Delaware is now part of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The state will now award their electoral vote to whoever wins the popular vote. Colorado kicked off this year’s push, with Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signaling that he would sign such a bill if it were brought before his desk. The state legislature responded in kind. Delaware is a blue state with a Democratic governor and legislature, so when this was proposed this year—it was assured passage. Gov. John Carney signed the bill this week (via The Hill):
Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) signed a bill that would give the state's presidential electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote, according to The Associated Press.
In signing the bill, Delaware became the 13th state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
States that belong to the compact would award their electoral votes to whomever wins the popular vote nationally, regardless of the results in those individual states.
With the addition of Delaware, states that belong to the compact hold 184 electoral votes, still well short of the 270 needed for a candidate to ascend to the White House — which is also the threshold at which the pact takes effect.
The compact has so far been adopted by blue states, after Democrats won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College votes in 2000 and 2016.
For now, there are not enough states altering their electoral vote allocation to change the system, but it just got closer. Some argue that this system would lead to parties running campaigns that are truly catered to their bases. No more moderation to win over swing states and no more fixations on swing states, which means a decrease in bad policy ideas. Republicans can run on liberty, gun rights, low taxes, smaller government, jobs, and national security. Democrats can run on infanticide, gun confiscation, high taxes, more regulations, larger government, and less freedom. I think we would win that contest. Still, I lean heavily toward keeping the Electoral College. It hasn’t failed us since and most of the pushes to change it comes from the sour grapes crowd that lost the previous contest. In this case, it’s the Democrats…again. But the tide is turning, Quinnipiac found majorities across all age demographics who favor electing the president by popular vote.