Within the past year, a big change in the way Colorado votes has occurred. Approved on March 15, the Colorado State Legislature passed a bill that would enter the state in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. This agreement between multiple states in the US gives all of the state’s electoral college votes to the person that has won the national popular vote or which candidate had the most votes in the country.

Since the first movement happened in 2006, a total of 15 states along with the District of Columbia have signed into this compact. 

According to the Final Fiscal Note from Colorado’s Legislative Council Staff from September 4, “This bill enters Colorado into an agreement to elect the president by national popular vote, which becomes binding on member states once states with the majority of electoral votes ratify the agreement. Under the agreement, presidential electors in Colorado are bound to support the winner of the national popular vote.”  

However, there was a movement that has collected lots of signatures that if approved, the issue would be placed up to the voters of Colorado in the 2020 election.

But why should we abolish the electoral college? The population of Colorado, even though it is increasing dramatically, would not have a voice in the United States to choose the president that we want as a state. Major urban areas such as New York City and Los Angeles should not be able to have power that could overrule Colorado in the number of votes.

This issue can also be seen within Colorado, with Denver having a bigger voice than small towns such as La Junta, Kit Carson, Montrose, and many more within the state. However, with this agreement, even the amount of voters in places such as Denver and Colorado Springs could have power against other cities and metro areas within the United States. 

Some may view this as a power struggle between Democrats and Republicans for their presidential candidate. This is not the case, it’s an issue on equality in representation in the United States, and the distribution of power of voters in the country so everyone can have a fair share in the country. The Electoral College is mainly determined by Statewide Popular Vote that determines the elector’s votes for a presidential election. This maintains a choice of president locally within the state rather than having a lack of power within the state. 

The issue of the electoral college is an extremely complicated issue that changes the way the people can cast their vote for the President of the United States to lead this country and represent it to the world. However, many people should study the issue and see how powerful voters would be across the country whether the votes should be gathered into a national popular vote or whether the idea is unfair to voters in the United States.