LWVUS Study: National Popular Vote Compact At the June LWV National Convention in Portland, Oregon, the delegates adopted a fast-track study of the National Popular Vote (NPV) Compact among the states. Under the NPV Compact, all the electoral votes of each member state would go to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all fifty electoral states, and the District of Columbia. This plan was originally proposed after the controversial presidential election of 2000. Unlike the abolishment of the electoral college, this plan would not require a constitutional amendment. However, the plan would not go into effect until enough states have joined the Compact to guarantee the 270 electoral votes required for the election of the president. Thus far, four states have enacted the National Popular Vote bill, including Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey and Maryland. The bill has passed either one or two legislative chambers in thirteen other states. The Westchester County LWV and the Larchmont/Mamaroneck LWV will be participating in the study. Informational forums will be presented, followed by a consensus vote by League members. This study is on a fast-track format; therefore, consensus forms must be submitted by May 1, 2009. Two information sessions are scheduled and we encourage Larchmont/Mamaroneck members to attend one or both: March 24, 10am, White Plains Library, hosted by Westchester County LWV April 3, 8:45 am., Cafe Mozart, hosted by L/M LWV April 28, Larchmont/Mamaroneck NVP Consensus Meeting; 7:30 pm at the home of Peggy Jackson. You must be a paid L/M LWV member to participate in the consensus meeting. To join, please click HERE. For more information, see www.lwv.org/NPV, or attend an upcoming informational forum. Details of the dates and locations for the forums will be made available shortly.     February 24, 2009 Volume V, Issue 2