Shapiro Open to Pennsylvania Joining Popular Vote Pact
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says he would work with lawmakers on how the state could join the National Popular Vote Compact.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Elections
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Gov. Josh Shapiro said he is open to Pennsylvania joining the National Popular Vote Compact during an interview in Washington, D.C. on Saturday at the annual Crooked Con convention. The compact would award a participating state's electoral votes to the national popular vote winner once enough states join.
Why it matters
Shapiro argued the popular vote is the way to ensure the will of the people is heard and respected. Democrats hold Congress and would need Pennsylvania, Michigan, and two of Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin to secure the electoral votes needed to activate the compact by 2028.
Shapiro said he would work with lawmakers to determine the mechanism for moving forward on the compact. Stephen Wolf of The Downballot identified the states Democrats would need to reach the electoral votes required to activate the compact by 2028.
The players
Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro is the Governor of Pennsylvania and a Democrat who has advocated for the popular vote as the basis for presidential elections.
The Downballot
The Downballot is a political news site that analyzes election and campaign developments, including state-by-state paths for electoral reform.
The details
Shapiro made the remarks during an interview in Washington, D.C. at the Crooked Con convention. The National Popular Vote Compact would award a participating state's electoral votes to the national popular vote winner once enough states join, and Shapiro said he would work with lawmakers to determine how Pennsylvania would move forward.
Timeline
Saturday (prior to November 8, 2026): Shapiro gives interview in Washington, D.C. on the National Popular Vote Compact.
2028: Target year for activating the compact if enough states join.
Political Context
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement among states to award their electoral votes to the national popular vote winner once enough states join to reach 270 electoral votes. Shapiro's openness places a major battleground state in the conversation about whether the compact can gain the votes it needs.
If Pennsylvania joins the compact, the state's electoral votes would go to the national popular vote winner rather than to the statewide winner. Voters would see a change in how their presidential vote translates into electoral outcomes only if enough states join.
The takeaway
Proposals like the National Popular Vote Compact remain contested and depend on state legislatures acting together. Watching which swing states take up the measure will show whether the 2028 timeline is realistic.
Further reading
Track the latest developments in the Elections section for more on how electoral rules are being debated nationwide.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Item.
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Should Pennsylvania join the National Popular Vote Compact for presidential elections?
