National majority vote for president a step closer as Virginia signs bill into law

Push for states to assign presidential electors to winner of popular vote gains momentum in bid to reach 270 threshold

A national majority vote for president is one step closer to reality after Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger signed the National Popular Vote bill into law, joining an interstate compact with 17 other states and the District of Columbia.

Under the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, states would assign their presidential electors to the winner of the popular vote, regardless of the results within the state. The compact takes effect when states representing a majority of electoral votes - 270 of 538 - pass the legislation and thus would determine the winner of the presidential contest. With Virginia, the compact now has 222 electors.