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Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for May 15, 2019
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
May 15, 2019: Seeking to fundamentally change the way we elect our presidents, 14 states have joined the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). Washington, D.C., signed on as well. That’s a project whose goal is to have the president elected by direct popular vote.
Change isn’t coming anytime soon, however. The deal won’t go into effect until states with at least 270 electoral votes sign up for the plan. The states already on board have a total of 189 electoral votes.
There’s a decidedly partisan flavor involved in the process. All of the states that have joined the compact cast their votes for Democratic candidates in the past three presidential elections. Polling shows that most Democrats support eliminating the Electoral College and electing the president by popular vote. Most Republicans are opposed.[1]
Even if advocates can get some Republican-leaning or competitive states to sign up for the plan, it’s unclear whether the compact violates the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution allows states to form such agreements with the permission of Congress, but Congress has not acted on this issue. The final determination will almost certainly require a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Technically, the NPVIC is an agreement that commits the states to award their Electoral College votes to whoever wins the popular vote for president nationwide. Currently, most states' electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state. Two award some of their electoral votes based on the winner of a congressional district.
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- May 14, 2019 – 104 federal judges nominated by President Trump have been confirmed
- May 13, 2019 – 54 percent of voters believe American society is fair and decent
- May 10, 2019 – 63 percent of ''Avengers: Endgame'' viewers plan to see it again
- May 9, 2019 – 12 million registered boats in the U.S
- May 8, 2019 – 20 percent of U.S. adults have held a job where most of their pay came from tips
- To see other recent numbers, check out the archive.
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.
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Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
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