DENVER — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed into law a bill that would award Colorado’s electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote for president.
Polis signed the National Popular Vote bill Friday after it passed both chambers of the state legislature mainly along party lines, with Democrats overwhelmingly in support of the bill.
Colorado joins 11 other states and Washington, D.C. in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would go into effect if states that have 270 electoral votes all join the compact.
Colorado’s nine electoral votes will now go to the 172 votes from states that are already members of the compact.
Republicans have pushed back against the measure, saying it could harm Colorado’s ability to be a player in future presidential elections and that it was undermining the Electoral College established by the nation’s founders.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold released the following statement after the bill signing:
"As Secretary of State, I’m guided and inspired by the principle of “One Person, One Vote.” The National Popular Vote upholds this principal and ensures that every citizen’s vote matters equally regardless of geography, race, income, religion, or gender. I applaud Governor Polis and the General Assembly for passing this important law and joining Colorado into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.”
