The problem with the National Popular Vote Compact, is how do you enforce it? What happens if one or more of the states that agrees to this, reneges because their citizens voted for the candidate that lost the popular vote?
It can't be enforced.
Even the current convention - of electors respecting the majority vote in each state - cannot be enforced.
As far as I am aware, the states are not under any obligation to consider public opinion, nor to allow citizens a vote, when selecting their electors. That they do is mere convention - people have become used to the idea that they poll the voting public, and allocate the electors from the slate endorsed by the party that receives the largest share of the popular vote; But they could equally well simply have the Governor pick electors from his biggest campaign contributors; or select them by throwing darts at the capital city telephone directory. The constitution sets out a handful of things they may NOT do when deciding who will be their EC electors; But it is silent on the need to consult the public at large.
Not only do the states have no obligation to have their electors selected by the party with majority public support; Those electors have no obligation to support the party that selected them (or any other party or candidate). Faithless electors exist, and there is no legal sanction that can be taken against them; The worst that can happen is for the party that nominated them this time around to decline to do so at the next election. But they be sacked, nor can their decision be overturned.
The 538 members of the electoral college have completely free reign to select any qualified persons* as POTUS and VP, without regard to any opinions other than their own. If 270 or more of them want to make Loren Pechtel the President, then this board would have to find someone else to make the largest number of posts, because LP would be rather busy. I for one would be interested to read about his wife's experiences when redecorating the White House. It doesn't matter whether or not he is running; The EC can select him anyway, if they think he is the best American for the job.
The system for electing a President is deliberately and purposely designed to be undemocratic; The assumption being that the people will sometimes pick someone wholly unsuitable, at which point the wiser counsels of the electoral college can overrule their dumb mistake and put a more suitable person in instead.
*Literally ANY natural born US citizen over 35 years of age and who has been resident in the US for 15 years, and who has not already served as POTUS for two terms, could be selected. All they need is the support of 270 or more electors. That's it.
