National Popular Vote Compact Consensus Questions

NPV Compact Consensus Questions for discussion meetings.  The electronic Response Form will contain these same NPV Compact Consensus Questions and will be available in January.

Amending the Constitution

1.  Which statement best reflects the consensus of the group?  Select one.

1.  Action to alter a basic element of the Constitutional framework, which is achievable by amendment to the Constitution, should be accomplished by amendment to the Constitution.
2. Action by states through a compact process is an acceptable way to alter the method for electing the President and Vice-President. 
3. The group could not reach consensus.

2.  Which statement best reflects the consensus of the group? Select one.

1.  Because a compact has never before been used to address a fundamental constitutional issue such as voting, the chance that it might set a precedent for the future leads to the conclusion that it is better that the League continue to work for an amendment to the Constitution to establish the direct popular election of the President and the abolition of the Electoral College.
2. Despite the novelty of the use of the compact approach to address a fundamental constitutional issue such as voting, the League should support the NPV Compact as a way of achieving an important goal. 
3. The group could not reach consensus

Congressional Consent

3.  Which statement best reflects the consensus of the group?  Select one.

1. The possibility that the NPV Compact will require congressional consent is not of sufficient concern to block the implementation of the plan.
2. The possibility that the NPV Compact will require congressional consent is sufficient to conclude that the plan should not be implemented without obtaining such consent.
3. The group could not reach consensus.

Enforcement

4.  Which statement best reflects the consensus of the group? Select one.

1. The NPV Compact contains sufficient enforcement provisions to assure smooth operation of the plan.
2. Although it is not possible to determine whether the enforcement provisions will be sufficient to assure smooth operation of the plan, the plan should be passed anyway
3. Enforcement of the plan is likely to add uncertainty and bring the courts into the presidential election in ways that raise substantial concerns.
4. The lack of adequate enforcement provisions is sufficient to conclude that the NPV is not a viable plan.
5.  The group could not reach consensus.

Uniformity 

5.  Which statement best reflects the consensus of the group? Select one.

1. The uniformity of voting systems is more important to American democracy than the possibility that the NPV Compact can be adopted.
2.  The NPV Compact is more important than uniformity of voting systems because it would succeed in achieving the popular election of the President.
3. The group could not reach consensus.

Popular Election of the President

6.  Which statement best reflects the consensus of the group? Select one.

1. It is more important to achieve the goal of national popular election of the President than it is to achieve the goal of abolition of the electoral college.
2. It is more important to amend the Constitution to abolish the Electoral College than it is to achieve the goal of popular election of the President by alternative methods, such as the NPV Compact.
3. The group could not reach consensus.

Achievability

7. Which statements reflect the views of the group? 

1. The NPV Compact will have problems being passed because of the need for congressional consideration and the need for action by so many states.
   Agree                    Disagree                      No Consensus
2. A constitutional amendment to establish the direct popular election of the President and the abolition of the Electoral College will continue to have problems being passed.
   Agree                     Disagree                       No Consensus