About the Electoral College

Our Founding Fathers established a system for electing the president that gives a voice to each of the states and ensures that all votes matter. 

The Founders established the Electoral College to ensure that no president can be elected without broad national appeal (as opposed to just deep regional or metropolitan support). This prevents strictly regional interests from dominating the entire country.

Under this system, the U.S. does not conduct one massive nationwide election. Rather, each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia conduct separate democratic elections on the same day. Based on the results of those individual elections, “electors” from each jurisdiction cast direct votes for president. The winner is the candidate who garners a majority of state electoral votes.

Eliminating the Electoral College will shift the balance of power to our country’s major metropolitan areas and larger media markets, giving them the power to drown out the voices of less populous places.

About the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact

Right now, states are considering whether to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. States that agree to join the compact pledge all of their electoral votes in future elections to the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide—even if a majority of voters in the state voted for somebody else. 

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact will go into effect when states with a combined total of at least 270 electors have signed on. To date, 15 states and the District of Columbia have joined, giving supporters of the compact 196 votes toward their goal. 

We must act now to defeat this unconstitutional compact in Virginia—before it garners enough support to take effect.

To learn more about the Electoral College, check out:


Additional resources:

How to Talk About: The Electoral College (PDF)

Legal Policy Focus: The Electoral College

How To Talk To Kids About: Electing The President And The Electoral College