Virginia has joined the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, bringing the total number of participating electoral votes to 222, according to state officials.

The compact now includes 17 states and the District of Columbia. Under the agreement, participating states would assign their presidential electors to the candidate who wins the national popular vote, regardless of which candidate wins within their individual state boundaries.

The interstate compact would only take effect once states representing a majority of electoral votes—270 out of 538 total—have enacted the legislation. At that threshold, the participating states would effectively determine the outcome of presidential elections based on the national popular vote rather than the current Electoral College system.

Virginia's participation adds the state's 13 electoral votes to the compact. The agreement was signed into law by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, though the sources differ on this detail with one incorrectly identifying the governor.

The compact represents an effort to change how presidential elections are decided without requiring a constitutional amendment to eliminate the Electoral College. The initiative has gained support from states seeking to ensure that the candidate receiving the most votes nationwide becomes president.

With 222 electoral votes now committed, the compact needs an additional 48 electoral votes to reach the 270-vote threshold required for implementation.