Relating to the adoption of the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote.
Summary
HB 2720 would have Texas join the Interstate Compact known as the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. The bill adds a new chapter to the Election Code establishing the compact’s rules: member states would continue to hold statewide popular elections for president and vice president, but once the compact is in effect nationally, each member state would appoint its presidential electors to the presidential slate that wins the most votes nationwide rather than the slate that wins Texas. The measure also sets procedures for calculating and reporting vote totals, handling ties, and coordinating among member states.
The compact would not take effect in Texas unless states collectively holding a majority of electoral votes have enacted substantially the same agreement. It also allows withdrawal, but with a delayed effective date if withdrawal occurs close to a presidential term’s end, and it ends if the Electoral College is abolished. The bill includes a conflict rule stating that the compact controls over conflicting Texas statutes, but the Texas Constitution would prevail if a court finds a constitutional conflict.
Impact
If enacted, HB 2720 would significantly alter Texas election law by changing how the state appoints presidential electors in years when the compact is active. Instead of awarding electors based on Texas’s own statewide vote, Texas would be bound to support the national popular vote winner, and state election officials would be required to share and rely on vote totals from other member states. The bill would therefore affect the Election Code, the duties of state election officials, and the presidential elector appointment process, while also creating a statutory override for conflicting state laws subject to constitutional limits.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s subject matter, the proposal is likely to be viewed as a major structural change to presidential election rules, which typically draws strong interest from both supporters of national popular vote reforms and opponents who prefer the existing Electoral College system. The bill’s referral to the State Affairs Committee suggests it was treated as a significant election-policy measure.
Contention
The main point of contention is the shift from Texas’s traditional winner-take-all presidential elector allocation to a national popular vote system. Supporters would likely emphasize that the compact makes the presidential outcome reflect the national vote total, while opponents would likely argue that it reduces Texas’s control over its own electors and could diminish the influence of Texas voters under the current Electoral College framework. Additional concerns may include interstate coordination, reliance on other states’ vote certifications, and the bill’s provision that compact rules control over conflicting state law, subject only to the Texas Constitution.