Presidential Election by Popular Vote

Presently the Legislature is considering HB09-1299, which seeks to change Colorado’s system of elections by entering into an agreement with other states to give Colorado’s 9 electoral votes to the candidate who earns the most popular votes in all the states combined. The other states in the agreement would do this as well. The idea behind this system is to stay aligned with the constitution, which requires the use of the electoral college, but would circumvent the old winner-take-all system. Proponents argue that the measure will make elections more fair, giving less power to the most populous states, and will allow voters to feel that their vote actually counts; further, propoents seek to avoid situations where presidential candidates who receive more popular votes may not win the election because they don’t have the electoral votes. Opponents of HB1299, however, argue in favor of adhering to the Constitution and the system set up by the founding fathers; and that the new system will undermine Colorado’s sovereignity and cause candidates to ignore our state, as votes in other states will dictate where our electoral votes go. With strong arguments on both sides, this bill has caused considerable debate in the legislature.

Where to go to find out more about Colorado’s electoral system? The Colorado Secretary of State’s office’s Election Center is a good place to start. The Secretary of State is officially in charge of elections in Colorado. The site will also link to national voter sites that explain the civic process of the United States.