# Democrats Push to Abolish Electoral College

> Democrats gain power to bypass Electoral College via compact after midterms.
- Title: Democrats Push to Abolish Electoral College · Snopes
- Summary: Democrats gain power to bypass Electoral College via compact after midterms. Democrats have enough electoral votes to join the National Voter Compact but…
- Keywords: democrats, electoral college, national voter compact, midterm elections, congressional approval, presidential election, popular vote, state legislatures, governorships, united states, Snopes
- Source: Snopes — https://snopes.com/news/2026/11/05/democrats-abolish-electoral-college
- Author: Anna Rascouët-Paz
- Published: 2026-11-06T00:45:59+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: democrats, electoral college, national voter compact, midterm elections, congressional approval, presidential election, popular vote, state legislatures, governorships, united states, technology, startups
## Midterm Wins Spark Abolition Rumor
Democrats swept legislatures and governorships in five states after November 2026 elections.

> Dems now have the power to pass the National Voter Compact to effectively abolish the Electoral College
## Electoral College Background
The Electoral College has 538 electors who cast votes for president, with 270 votes needed to win.
## Five States in Question
Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have enough electoral votes to join the National Voter Compact.
## National Voter Compact Details
The compact allows states to give electoral votes to the national popular vote winner instead of state winners.
## Electoral College Deficits
The Electoral College has elected five presidents who lost the national popular vote in 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000 and 2016.
## Legal Hurdles Remain
The Compact Clause requires congressional approval to bypass the Electoral College entirely.

> No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State
## State Compact Progress
Eighteen states and Washington, D.C. have joined the compact for a total of 222 electoral votes.
## Next Steps for Compact
The five states could join the compact to reach 270 electoral votes but need congressional approval.
## Key takeaway

Democrats have enough electoral votes to join the National Voter Compact but cannot abolish the Electoral College without congressional approval.