DENVER – Proponents of the effort to repeal Colorado’s new law that would give Colorado’s presidential electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote submitted more than 225,000 signatures Thursday, organizers said.
Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese, who is one of the organizers of the effort along with Monument Mayor Don Wilson, said the Protect Colorado’s Vote initiative submitted 227,198 signatures from voters statewide to the secretary of state’s office for review.
The proponents need 125,000 of those signatures to be deemed valid for the referendum to be put on the 2020 ballot. Aug. 1 was the submission deadline.
The backers of the effort want to repeal Colorado’s National Popular Vote law, which state lawmakers passed this year and Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, signed into law.
Colorado joined at least 15 other states and Washington, D.C. as part of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would only go into effect if enough states agree to be part of the compact.
Republicans pushed back against the measure while it was being debated and after it was signed into law, saying it undermined the Electoral College and harmed Colorado’s ability to be a player in presidential elections.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold supports the law, saying it upholds the principle of “one person, one vote.”
Fountain and Monument have already passed resolutions opposing the law.
Some conservatives in Colorado have taken to recall petitions this year to try and undo laws that were passed this session and to try and recall lawmakers with whom they are unhappy -- all of them Democrats so far. Some of the efforts are ongoing, while one against Rep. Tom Sullivan was dropped and another Democratic lawmaker resigned amid a different effort.
