DENVER — The group wanting to repeal the National Popular Vote law said they surpassed their goal of getting 200,000 signatures.
In March, Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill that ties Colorado's nine Electoral College votes to the Presidential candidate who wins the popular vote nationwide.
Coloradans Vote, a group headed by Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese and Town of Monument Mayor Don Wilson, filed a petition challenging the implementation of the bill and pushing to get the National Popular Vote law on the November 2020 general election ballot instead.
They needed 124,632 signatures to force that to happen. The group said their goal was 200,000.
On Wednesday, the group said in a release that it had collected about 227,000 signatures. The secretary of state still needs to certify all the signatures are valid before the issue goes to voters.
California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington, D.C. have also adopted a law like this. The National Popular Vote compact won't become active until 270 electoral votes are guaranteed. With Colorado’s nine electoral votes, the pact has 181.
If and when this law takes effect, it would not dispose of the electoral college. Rather, the law changes the way the state government allocates its votes.
It's current Colorado law that dictates presidential electors must vote for the winner of the state's popular vote, and not the U.S. Constitution, which states electors are appointed "in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct."
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