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Polis to sign bill that opts Colorado out of Electoral College (takes effect when enough states do the same)

Colorado's Democrat-controlled legislature has approved a measure aimed at giving the state's nine electoral college votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote, rather than who wins the state.

DENVER — Gov. Jared Polis (D-Colorado) will sign a bill into law that opts Colorado out of the Electoral College, the governor’s office tells Next with Kyle Clark.

The Democrat-controlled legislature formally approved the measure last week. Under the bill, Colorado's nine electoral college votes would go to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote, rather than the candidate who wins this state.

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Eleven other states and the District of Columbia adopted this law already. A law in Colorado would give the nationwide initiative 181 electoral votes. The National Popular Vote compact will not take effect unless 270 electoral votes are guaranteed, meaning more states need to sign on for this to change a presidential election.

The governor’s office couldn’t tell us when Polis will sign the bill, but we have been told it has not yet gone to his desk. Polis could choose to veto the bill, ignore until it inevitably becomes law, or sign it, as is expected. He has 10 days to sign the bill into law once it’s been delivered to his desk.

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Opponents, meanwhile, want the measure to go to voters to decide its fate. They’d need 124,632 signatures for that to happen. They have until 90 days after the legislative session ends to gather those signatures, but they cannot start gathering until Polis signs the bill into law.

California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington already have popular vote laws.

Colorado’s electoral votes went to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton won the national popular vote that year.

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