National Popular Vote Bill Introduced in Pennsylvania Legislature
Rabb Invites Colleagues of All Political Parties to Co-Sponsor
Rep. Christopher M. Rabb November 19, 2020
HARRISBURG, Nov. 19 – At a press conference today, state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., introduced legislation for Pennsylvania to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and invited his colleagues of all political parties to sign onto the bill as co-sponsors.
Saul Anuzis, senior consultant to National Popular Vote and former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, also participated in the press conference.
“I’m pleased to introduce the National Popular Vote legislation to prevent the chaos created by our current system of electing the president,” said Rabb. “I invite all my colleagues — from progressive to conservative — to join me in co-sponsoring the bill. With the National Popular Vote for president, we can avoid needless runoffs, avoid unfounded charges of fraud or suppression, and eliminate the need for the courts to pick presidents.”
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact would guarantee the presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, thereby making every state matter in presidential elections. It has been enacted into law in 15 states and the District of Columbia, containing a total of 196 electoral votes and can be in place for the 2024 presidential election if enacted by states with an additional 74 electoral votes.
The National Popular Vote bill has garnered bipartisan support and has passed at least one chamber in nine additional states with 88 more electoral votes (Arkansas, Arizona, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma and Virginia). More than 3,400 state legislators from all 50 states have endorsed it.
“With the current system, candidates are forced to focus on a handful of battleground states, rather than campaigning for votes in all 50 states,” said Anuzis. “A National Popular Vote for president will force the candidates to campaign nationwide and advance the principle of one person, one vote in American presidential elections.”
“We must have a national popular vote for president in 2024, and the National Popular Vote bill is the only way to achieve that,” said Terrie Griffin, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania. “We are grateful to Representative Rabb for introducing the bill and encourage his colleagues – Democrat, Republican and Independent – to sign off as co-sponsors and pass this bill. Every voter in every state will matter in every Presidential election with the National Popular Vote.”
The National Popular Vote bill has been introduced in Pennsylvania before. In 2017, Rabb and 16 other legislators introduced the bill; in 2011, the bill was introduced with 41 sponsors, including nine in the state senate. In a 2012 hearing on the legislation, it was noted that a poll conducted by state political pollster G. Terry Madonna found nearly 75% of Pennsylvanians support the idea of a national popular vote to elect the president.
More information about the National Popular Vote bill is available at www.nationalpopularvote.com.