Electoral reform in Colorado
Encyclopedia
Electoral reform in
Colorado
refers to efforts to change the voting laws in the Centennial State. In 2004, Coloradans considered Amendment 36
, which would have split Colorado's 9 electoral votes according to the proportion of the popular vote received by each candidate. This would theoretically have allowed a third party
candidate to receive an electoral vote if he got 12% of the electoral vote in Colorado. Opponents did not like the fact that the amendment, if adopted, could affect the outcome of the 2004 U.S. Presidential election. Also, if every state adopted similar amendments, and third-party candidates did well enough that no candidate received a majority of the country's electoral votes, under Amendment XII of the U.S. Constitution, the President would be chosen by the U.S. House of Representatives. The amendment failed by a large margin. In 2006, the Colorado Senate passed a bill to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
but it failed in the Colorado House of Representatives. In 2007, the Aspen, Colorado
City Council votes 5-0 to place a measure on the ballot to implement instant runoff voting in elections.
Electoral reform
Electoral reform is change in electoral systems to improve how public desires are expressed in election results. That can include reforms of:...
Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
refers to efforts to change the voting laws in the Centennial State. In 2004, Coloradans considered Amendment 36
Colorado Amendment 36
In the November 2004 United States election, one of the issues up for a vote in the state of Colorado was known as Amendment 36. It was a ballot initiative for an amendment to the state constitution. It would have changed the way in which the state apportioned its electoral votes...
, which would have split Colorado's 9 electoral votes according to the proportion of the popular vote received by each candidate. This would theoretically have allowed a third party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
candidate to receive an electoral vote if he got 12% of the electoral vote in Colorado. Opponents did not like the fact that the amendment, if adopted, could affect the outcome of the 2004 U.S. Presidential election. Also, if every state adopted similar amendments, and third-party candidates did well enough that no candidate received a majority of the country's electoral votes, under Amendment XII of the U.S. Constitution, the President would be chosen by the U.S. House of Representatives. The amendment failed by a large margin. In 2006, the Colorado Senate passed a bill to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement among U.S. states designed to replace current state rules governing the electoral college system of presidential elections with rules guaranteeing election of the national popular vote winner...
but it failed in the Colorado House of Representatives. In 2007, the Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
City Council votes 5-0 to place a measure on the ballot to implement instant runoff voting in elections.