A bill that could change how Colorado awards its electoral votes for president cleared the state House this morning and is now halfway to the governor’s desk.
The bill, House bill 1299, would make Colorado the fifth state to join an interstate compact in which members agree to award their presidential electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote, regardless of which candidate won the state. The bill won approval today in the House 34-29, with two representatives not present.
The compact only goes into effect if the member states combine to make up 270 electoral votes, enough to conclusively sway the election. So far the four states on board – Illinois, Hawaii, New Jersey and Maryland – account for 50 electoral votes. Colorado has nine electoral votes.
Supporters say the agreement will make every vote cast count and say the current winner-take-all system of allocating electoral votes in 48 of 50 states means people who don’t vote for the winning candidate in their state have their votes wiped out.
“We’re trying to move from battleground states in each presidential election,” said Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, “and move toward every single voter becoming a battleground voter.”
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