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VA HB965

VA HB965
National Popular Vote Compact; enters Virginia into an interstate compact.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
02/24/2026
Crossed Over
02/11/2026
Passed
04/13/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
04/13/2026

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Regular Session

Bill Summary

Presidential electors; National Popular Vote Compact. Enters Virginia into an interstate compact known as the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. Article II of the Constitution of the United States gives the states exclusive and plenary authority to decide the manner of awarding their electoral votes. Under the compact, Virginia agrees to award its electoral votes to the presidential ticket that receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The compact goes into effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes have joined the compact. A state may withdraw from the compact; however, a withdrawal occurring within six months of the end of a President's term shall not become effective until a President or Vice President has qualified to serve the next term. The bill also provides for the manner of appointing electors when such agreement does and does not govern the appointment of electors. This bill is identical to SB 322.

AI Summary

This bill enacts the "Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote," an interstate compact that Virginia will join. Under this compact, Virginia agrees to award its presidential electoral votes not to the candidate who wins the popular vote within Virginia, but to the presidential ticket that receives the most votes nationwide across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This agreement will only take effect once enough states have joined to collectively control a majority of the electoral votes, which is currently 270 out of 538. The bill also outlines how presidential electors will be appointed, specifying that if the compact is in effect, Virginia's electors will be chosen based on the national popular vote winner, and if the compact is not in effect, Virginia will revert to its current system of awarding electors based on the popular vote within the state. States can withdraw from the compact, but such a withdrawal cannot take effect within six months of the end of a presidential term. The bill also defines key terms like "chief election official" and "presidential slate" for the purposes of the compact.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (42)

Marcia Price (D)* Lashrecse Aird (D),  Jessica Anderson (D),  Bonita Anthony (D),  Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D),  Jennifer Boysko (D),  Kacey Carnegie (D),  Betsy Carr (D),  Jennifer Carroll Foy (D),  Nadarius Clark (D),  Joshua Cole (D),  Nicole Cole (D),  Rae Cousins (D),  Karrie Delaney (D),  Barbara Favola (D),  Michael Feggans (D),  Debra Gardner (D),  Jackie Glass (D),  Elizabeth Guzmán (D),  Dan Helmer (D),  J.R. Henson (D),  Patrick Hope (D),  Karen Keys-Gamarra (D),  Paul Krizek (D),  Destiny LeVere Bolling (D),  Mamie Locke (D),  Michelle Lopes-Maldonado (D),  Dave Marsden (D),  Fernando Martinez (D),  Adele McClure (D),  May Nivar (D),  Sam Rasoul (D),  Saddam Salim (D),  Charlie Schmidt (D),  Marcus Simon (D),  Shelly Simonds (D),  Richard Sullivan (D),  Kathy Tran (D),  Jeion Ward (D),  Vivian Watts (D),  Rodney Willett (D),  Angelia Williams Graves (D), 

Last Action

Approved by Governor-Chapter 715 (effective 7/1/2026) (on 04/13/2026)

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bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB965
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB965) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1205108.PDF
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB965/text/HB965ER
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB965) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168609.PDF
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB965/text/HB965E
Voting Rights Subcommittee Amendment https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB965/text/HB965AHC2
Privileges and Elections Amendment https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB965/text/HB965AHC1
Privileges and Elections Amendment https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB965/text/HB965AH1
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB965) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096519.PDF
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB965/text/HB965
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