H 7783

2026 -- H 7783
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LC004523
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  STATE  OF        RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  AN ACT
   RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- AGREEMENT AMONG THE STATES TO ELECT THE
  PRESIDENT BY NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE
  Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, and Corvese
  Date Introduced: February 12, 2026
  Referred To: House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1SECTION 1. Chapter 17-4.2 of the General Laws entitled "Agreement Among the States
2 to Elect the President by National Popular Vote" is hereby repealed in its entirety.
3CHAPTER 17-4.2
4Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote
517-4.2-1. Compact enacted.
6The interstate compact entitled the “Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by
7 National Popular Vote” is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all other jurisdictions
8 legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows:
9ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP.
10Any state of the United States and the District of Columbia may become a member of this
11 agreement by enacting this agreement.
12ARTICLE II. RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE IN MEMBER STATES TO VOTE FOR
13 PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.
14Each member state shall conduct a statewide popular election for president and vice
15 president of the United States.
16ARTICLE III. MANNER OF APPOINTING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS IN
17 MEMBER STATES.
18Prior to the time set by law for the meeting and voting by the presidential electors, the chief
1 election official of each member state shall determine the number of votes for each presidential
2 slate in each state of the United States and in the District of Columbia in which votes have been
3 cast in a statewide popular election and shall add such votes together to produce a “national popular
4 vote total” for each presidential slate.
5The chief election official of each member state shall designate the presidential slate with
6 the largest national popular vote total as the “national popular vote winner.”
7The presidential elector certifying official of each member state shall certify the
8 appointment in that official’s own state of the elector slate nominated in that state in association
9 with the national popular vote winner.
10At least six (6) days before the day fixed by law for the meeting and voting by the
11 presidential electors, each member state shall make a final determination of the number of popular
12 votes cast in the state for each presidential slate and shall communicate an official statement of
13 such determination within twenty-four (24) hours to the chief election official of each other member
14 state.
15The chief election official of each member state shall treat as conclusive an official
16 statement containing the number of popular votes in a state for each presidential slate made by the
17 day established by federal law for making a state’s final determination conclusive as to the counting
18 of electoral votes by Congress.
19In event of a tie for the national popular vote winner, the presidential elector certifying
20 official of each member state shall certify the appointment of the elector slate nominated in
21 association with the presidential slate receiving the largest number of popular votes within that
22 official’s own state.
23If, for any reason, the number of presidential electors nominated in a member state in
24 association with the national popular vote winner is less than or greater than that state’s number of
25 electoral votes, the presidential candidate on the presidential slate that has been designated as the
26 national popular vote winner shall have the power to nominate the presidential electors for that
27 state and that state’s presidential elector certifying official shall certify the appointment of such
28 nominees.
29The chief election official of each member state shall immediately release to the public all
30 vote counts or statements of votes as they are determined or obtained.
31This article shall govern the appointment of presidential electors in each member state in
32 any year in which this agreement is, on July 20, in effect in states cumulatively possessing a
33 majority of the electoral votes.
34ARTICLE IV. OTHER PROVISIONS.
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1This agreement shall take effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the
2 electoral votes have enacted this agreement in substantially the same form and the enactments by
3 such states have taken effect in each state.
4Any member state may withdraw from this agreement, except that a withdrawal occurring
5 six (6) months or less before the end of a president’s term shall not become effective until a
6 president or vice president shall have been qualified to serve the next term.
7The chief executive of each member state shall promptly notify the chief executive of all
8 other states of when this agreement has been enacted and has taken effect in that official’s state,
9 when the state has withdrawn from this agreement, and when this agreement takes effect generally.
10This agreement shall terminate if the electoral college is abolished.
11If any provision of this agreement is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall not be
12 affected.
13ARTICLE V. DEFINITIONS.
14For purposes of this agreement:
15(1) “Chief executive” shall mean the governor of a state of the United States or the mayor
16 of the District of Columbia;
17(2) “Elector slate” shall mean a slate of candidates who have been nominated in a state for
18 the position of presidential elector in association with a presidential slate;
19(3) “Chief election official” shall mean the state official or body that is authorized to certify
20 the total number of popular votes for each presidential slate;
21(4) “Presidential elector” shall mean an elector for president and vice president of the
22 United States;
23(5) “Presidential elector certifying official” shall mean the state official or body that is
24 authorized to certify the appointment of the state’s presidential electors;
25(6) “Presidential slate” shall mean a slate of two (2) persons, the first of whom has been
26 nominated as a candidate for president of the United States and the second of whom has been
27 nominated as a candidate for vice president of the United States, or any legal successors to such
28 persons, regardless of whether both names appear on the ballot presented to the voter in a particular
29 state;
30(7) “State” shall mean a state of the United States and the District of Columbia; and
31(8) “Statewide popular election” shall mean a general election in which votes are cast for
32 presidential slates by individual voters and counted on a statewide basis.
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1      SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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  EXPLANATION
  BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  OF
  AN ACT
  RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- AGREEMENT AMONG THE STATES TO ELECT THE
  PRESIDENT BY NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE
  ***
1This act would repeal authorizing Rhode Island to join an interstate compact, which would
2 allow Presidents and Vice Presidents to be elected by a national popular vote rather than the
3 electoral college.
4This act would take effect upon passage.
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