Gov. Andrew Cuomo

The presidential election by popular vote is one step closer to reality as Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the National Popular Vote bill today that the state Legislature approved last month.

“With the passage of this legislation, New York is taking a bold step to fundamentally increase the strength and fairness of our nation’s presidential elections,” Governor Cuomo said after signing the bill.

While the Electoral College would still exist, the electors from the states that have agreed to the National Popular Vote would be asked to vote for the candidate who receives the most total votes nationwide. The agreement dictates that none of the states which have signed on would allocate their votes to the popular vote winner until enough states sign on to equal 270.

With Cuomo's signature on the bill, 165 electoral votes across the country are promised to whichever presidential candidate receives a majority of the popular vote in any election — assuming more states sign on to the agreement.

New York is the second largest state to sign on to the pact. The others are California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

“By aligning the Electoral College with the voice of the nation’s voters, we are ensuring the equality of votes and encouraging candidates to appeal to voters in all states, instead of disproportionately focusing on early contests and swing states," Cuomo said.

Proponents of the bill believe that the current method of electing the president is unfair to the majority of states with steadfast political beliefs. Presidential candidates tend to steer clear of states they're confident of winning or losing to instead focus on the "maybe" states — the states that swing back and forth from year to year. In the 2012 presidential election, President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney spent the vast majority of their post-convention time in four states — Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Iowa.

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY, applauded Cuomo's decision to sign the bill. "The National Popular Vote is about empowering the only true voice of the people to elect the president. Common Cause/NY is proud to see New York State help bring the country one step further toward a more equitable democracy."

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