New Jersey

It's been a while since we checked in on state legislation designed to instill the national popular vote as the method for selecting the president.

Maryland was the first state to enter this interstate compact which pledges a state's electoral votes to the national popular vote winner, thus when enough states equaling 270 delegates in the Electoral College pass the bill, the popular vote automatically go to the national popular vote winner.

No one thought much of Maryland's 10 electors at the time, except for the group's organizers who had had a string of defeats. But in December, New Jersey brought another 15 to the table. And in recent months, both Illinois and Hawaii (where a gubernatorial veto was overridden) have signed their bills into law, bringing the total to 50 electoral votes, and thusly needing another 220 to displace the Electoral College.

Long story short: what once seemed like another trivial attempt could end up a trophy on Gov. Martin O'Malley's mantle in re-making the way we elect presidents.