Virginia House advances national popular vote bill

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill on Wednesday that would enter the state into the National Popular Vote Compact.

House of Delegates approved House Bill 965 on Wednesday, Feb. 11, after it was amended -- about a month after Del. Marcia "Cia" Price (D-Newport News), the chief patron, introduced the bill on Jan. 13.

The bill would enter Virginia into an interstate compact known as the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. Under the compact, participating states agree to award their electoral votes to the presidential ticket that receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, per the Legislative Information System (LIS).

Article II of the Constitution of the U.S. gives states the authority to determine how they would award their electoral votes.

The compact would only take effect once member states represent at least 270 electoral votes, a number needed to win the presidency. With Virginia included, the total would be 222.

However, a state may withdraw from the compact.