The electoral college system also concentrates campaign activity in a small number of battleground states.
“In 2024, 94% of the general-election campaign events took place in just seven states. That is, 43 states and 80% of U.S. voters were mere spectators to the presidential election,” according to NPV, which also claims that voter participation in these “battleground states” is higher than in the rest of the U.S.
When Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, allowed the compact legislation in her state to become law without her signature in 2024, she said in a statement that she believed “the person who wins the most votes should become the president. To do otherwise seemingly runs counter to the democratic foundations of our country.”
At the same time, she acknowledged arguments against the bill, saying, “Opponents have raised legitimate questions about whether presidential candidates would want to visit Maine knowing that, under a winner-take-all system, their chance to win our electoral votes declines and, as a result, their time would be better spent elsewhere.”
