Senator Griffo’s legislation securing NY’s place in National Popular Vote Compact signed by Governor

State Senator Joseph Griffo announced today that Governor Cuomo has signed legislation he sponsored that would secure New York’s place on the list of states that have joined the National Popular Vote compact. With the signing of this legislation, Senator Griffo and the Governor seek to guarantee that every vote in every state will matter in every presidential election.

“As Election Day finally arrives, every New Yorker wants to know their vote for President will matter in deciding the future of our country,” Senator Joseph Griffo said. “I am proud to have sponsored legislation that will allow New York State to join the National Popular Vote Compact, and the amendment signed by the Governor today will now give more states enough time to join this interstate agreement.”

Senator Griffo added, “A national popular vote compact will make New York relevant, so that we can't be ignored or taken for granted as the candidates instead fight over the few winner-take-all battleground states that historically have decided who is elected president. In the 21st Century, every vote really should count, and this legislation will help achieve that democratic ideal in a way that respects the Constitution.”

Senator Griffo’s bill (S.5478/A.6044) modifies legislation already signed by Governor Cuomo in 2014 that added New York to an interstate agreement in which member states commit to award their electoral votes for president to the candidate that receives a majority of the national popular vote. The original legislation required that New York be removed from the compact at the end of 2018 if the agreement had not been adopted nationally. This new measure removed this expiration date and keeps New York on the list of states supporting the National Popular Vote indefinitely.

By signing onto the National Popular Vote Compact, New York pledges to award its 29 electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote in ALL 50 States plus the District of Columbia, but only to take effect once enough other states have passed identical legislation to comprise a majority of the Electoral Colleges 538 votes. The compact currently contains 165 of the necessary 270 electoral votes (61 percent).

A federal constitutional amendment is not required to effect this change, as Article II, Section 1 of the United States Constitution provides states the plenary power to award electoral votes in any manner they choose. Currently, like 47 other states, New York uses the winner-take-all method in which the winner of the popular vote in New York State receives all of its electors. This method was used by only 3 states in 1789.

“This action will help ensure every vote is treated equally and places New York at the forefront of the battle for fairer elections and strengthen our democracy,” Governor Cuomo said.

“Only in the world's greatest democracy, the person who receives the most votes for President is not necessarily the winner,” Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said. “National Popular Vote would change that, and it would mean that every American's vote in every state would count equally.”

The compact has now been enacted through legislation in 10 states: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, as well as Washington D.C.

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