2025 -- H 5519

========

LC000476

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- AGREEMENT AMONG THE STATES TO ELECT THE

PRESIDENT BY NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE

     Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, Edwards, Chippendale, Azzinaro, Roberts,
Paplauskas, Fascia, Corvese, J. Brien, and Casey

     Date Introduced: February 13, 2025

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 17-4.2 of the General Laws entitled "Agreement Among the States

to Elect the President by National Popular Vote" is hereby repealed in its entirety.

CHAPTER 17-4.2

Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote

     17-4.2-1. Compact enacted.

     The interstate compact entitled the “Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by

National Popular Vote” is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all other jurisdictions

legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows:

     ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP.

     Any state of the United States and the District of Columbia may become a member of this

agreement by enacting this agreement.

     ARTICLE II. RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE IN MEMBER STATES TO VOTE FOR

PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.

     Each member state shall conduct a statewide popular election for president and vice

president of the United States.

     ARTICLE III. MANNER OF APPOINTING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS IN

MEMBER STATES.

     Prior to the time set by law for the meeting and voting by the presidential electors, the chief

election official of each member state shall determine the number of votes for each presidential

slate in each state of the United States and in the District of Columbia in which votes have been

cast in a statewide popular election and shall add such votes together to produce a “national popular

vote total” for each presidential slate.

     The chief election official of each member state shall designate the presidential slate with

the largest national popular vote total as the “national popular vote winner.”

     The presidential elector certifying official of each member state shall certify the

appointment in that official’s own state of the elector slate nominated in that state in association

with the national popular vote winner.

     At least six (6) days before the day fixed by law for the meeting and voting by the

presidential electors, each member state shall make a final determination of the number of popular

votes cast in the state for each presidential slate and shall communicate an official statement of

such determination within twenty-four (24) hours to the chief election official of each other member

state.

     The chief election official of each member state shall treat as conclusive an official

statement containing the number of popular votes in a state for each presidential slate made by the

day established by federal law for making a state’s final determination conclusive as to the counting

of electoral votes by Congress.

     In event of a tie for the national popular vote winner, the presidential elector certifying

official of each member state shall certify the appointment of the elector slate nominated in

association with the presidential slate receiving the largest number of popular votes within that

official’s own state.

     If, for any reason, the number of presidential electors nominated in a member state in

association with the national popular vote winner is less than or greater than that state’s number of

electoral votes, the presidential candidate on the presidential slate that has been designated as the

national popular vote winner shall have the power to nominate the presidential electors for that

state and that state’s presidential elector certifying official shall certify the appointment of such

nominees.

     The chief election official of each member state shall immediately release to the public all

vote counts or statements of votes as they are determined or obtained.

     This article shall govern the appointment of presidential electors in each member state in

any year in which this agreement is, on July 20, in effect in states cumulatively possessing a

majority of the electoral votes.

     ARTICLE IV. OTHER PROVISIONS.

LC000476 - Page 2 of 5

     This agreement shall take effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the

electoral votes have enacted this agreement in substantially the same form and the enactments by

such states have taken effect in each state.

     Any member state may withdraw from this agreement, except that a withdrawal occurring

six (6) months or less before the end of a president’s term shall not become effective until a

president or vice president shall have been qualified to serve the next term.

     The chief executive of each member state shall promptly notify the chief executive of all

other states of when this agreement has been enacted and has taken effect in that official’s state,

when the state has withdrawn from this agreement, and when this agreement takes effect generally.

     This agreement shall terminate if the electoral college is abolished.

     If any provision of this agreement is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall not be

affected.

     ARTICLE V. DEFINITIONS.

     For purposes of this agreement:

     (1) “Chief executive” shall mean the governor of a state of the United States or the mayor

of the District of Columbia;

     (2) “Elector slate” shall mean a slate of candidates who have been nominated in a state for

the position of presidential elector in association with a presidential slate;

     (3) “Chief election official” shall mean the state official or body that is authorized to certify

the total number of popular votes for each presidential slate;

     (4) “Presidential elector” shall mean an elector for president and vice president of the

United States;

     (5) “Presidential elector certifying official” shall mean the state official or body that is

authorized to certify the appointment of the state’s presidential electors;

     (6) “Presidential slate” shall mean a slate of two (2) persons, the first of whom has been

nominated as a candidate for president of the United States and the second of whom has been

nominated as a candidate for vice president of the United States, or any legal successors to such

persons, regardless of whether both names appear on the ballot presented to the voter in a particular

state;

     (7) “State” shall mean a state of the United States and the District of Columbia; and

     (8) “Statewide popular election” shall mean a general election in which votes are cast for

presidential slates by individual voters and counted on a statewide basis.

LC000476 - Page 3 of 5

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC000476

========

LC000476 - Page 4 of 5

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- AGREEMENT AMONG THE STATES TO ELECT THE

PRESIDENT BY NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE

***

     This act would repeal authorizing Rhode Island to join an interstate compact, which would

allow Presidents and Vice Presidents to be elected by a national popular vote rather than the

electoral college.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC000476

========

LC000476 - Page 5 of 5