The National Popular Vote plan holds every promise to be in place for presidential elections in 2012. On May 1st, Hawaii became the fourth state to adopt the plan, with the legislature easily overriding a gubernatorial veto by a combined vote of 56-7. Four states with a total of 50 electoral votes have passed the proposal -- about one-fifth of the way toward implementation.

FairVote's Rob Richie provided testimony to each Hawaii committee addressing the bill and FairVote-supported advocates played a key role in the National Popular Vote plan's easy wins in the Vermont state legislature last month. It is now heading to Vermont's governor. Among recent kudos for the plan are an editorial in the Nashville Tennessean, a Washington Monthly column by by the Brennan Center's director Michael Waldman and a Newsday commentary.

Serj Tankian, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist of the alternative metal band System of a Down, is on tour for his new album Elect the Dead. He is promoting five reforms, two of which are core FairVote proposals: a national popular vote for president and instant runoff voting. Tankian talks about them on his website and in interviews.

Fellow musician Krist Novoselic is FairVote's new board chair. The Washington Post featured his new FairVote position in its high-profile K Street column by Jeffrey Birnbaum