The National Popular Vote campaign is well on its way to having bill sponsors in all fifty states by January 2007. FairVote Action Maryland, a new effort sparked by FairVote, has begun pushing for this goal in our home state, with interest brewing in many quarters.

As the county looks ahead to the 2008 elections, FairVote and its allies are gearing up to make strides in reform in presidential elections. Get involved through www.nationalpopularvote.com or www.fairvotemd.org and sign up for updates.

On September 30th California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger tarnished his reform credentials by vetoing AB 2948, state legislation to make California the first state to enter into an interstate agreement to award its electoral votes to the national popular vote winner. Schwarzenegger acknowledged that California has lost relevance in presidential campaigns, but rejected the only approach that would both level the playing field in presidential elections and make all voter relevant.

The National Popular Vote plan is likely to be debated in every state legislature in the country in 2007, including California. If re-elected, Schwarzenegger may well have another chance next year to advance equality and fair elections.

[ Schwarzengger's veto statement and response from FairVote ]
[ Recent commentaries about NPV plan ]
[ National Popular Vote website ]

In what the Associated Press described as the largest gathering of Latino leaders in decades, the National Latino Congress convened in Los Angeles on September 6th. Convening organizations included MALDEF, LULAC and the Williem C. Velasquez Institute.

FairVote's Rob Richie addressed the opening plenary. That afternoon the Congreso passed a resolution supporting key FairVote reform priorities: the National Popular Vote plan to make every vote equal in presidential elections, instant runoff voting to generate majority winners in a single round of voting and proportional voting methods to represent most voters in local legislative elections. The resolution approved was 1.3 on electoral reform.

[National Latino Congress]
[FairVote's Presidential Elections Reform Program]
[National Popular Vote]
[Instant Runoff Voting]
[Proportional Voting]

Legislation to bring California into the National Popular Vote plan to reform presidential elections passed the Senate by a margin of 23 to 14. The passage follows approval by the California Assembly on May 30th. The bill now returns to the Assembly to reconcile the two versions.

The National Popular Vote plan continues to gain support across the country. Identical legislation has passed the Colorado State Senate, passed a key Louisiana committee, had a hearing in Missouri, won bipartisan and independent support among legislators in Illinois and has been introduced into the New York Assembly. Legislation is likely in dozens of states in 2007.

[ Urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign AB 2948 ]
[ Rob Richie's Letter to the Governor ]
[Associated Press Story]
[FairVote�s Presidential Elections Inequality Report]
[National Popular Vote]