PROPOSAL NUMBER: 021-04
1. Date proposed: September 9th, 2004
Name of the sponsor: Legislative Committee:
Bruce Field
Paul Hodapp
Tanya Ishikawa
Bruce Meyer
2. PROPOSAL SUBJECT:
Endorsement of the Colorado Electoral College Reform Ballot Initiative
3. FULL PROPOSAL:
The Green Party of Colorado (GPCO) endorses “Amendment 36 – Selection of Presidential Electors”, which will be on the November 2nd General Election ballot. This ballot initiative is also known as “Colorado Electoral College Reform” ballot initiative.
With this endorsement, the GPCO will allow its name to appear as a supporter of the initiative on websites, campaign letters, press releases, etc. The GPCO will also issue a press release stating its support.
This proposal also requests that a formal proposal be forwarded to the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) Coordinating Committee for its endorsement of this effort.
4. BACKGROUND:
During the General Election, a slate of Presidential electors is selected by the voters. In Colorado, the slate of the presidential candidate that has the largest number of votes is the one selected to vote in December. This makes Colorado a winner-take-all state in that the Presidential Candidate that gets the most votes gets all of the electors even if that person has not won a majority of the votes. This also means that regardless of any other candidates’ percentage of votes, they get nothing.
The US Constitution lays out the Electoral College, but deeds to each State legislature the right to determine for itself how their electors are selected. Colorado’s Constitution declares citizen assemblies can act as a legislature. This is what allows ballot initiatives. Therefore, this ballot initiative is legal.
Currently, 48 other states use a very similar winner-takes-all method. Maine and Nebraska do not. They assign electors based on who won each individual congressional district and with 2 electors being at large.
This ballot initiative proposes the following:
A> This is a constitutional amendment.
B> This amendment will take effect Nov. 2nd, 2004, i.e. immediately on passing.
C> The number of electors allocated to a presidential ticket is base on the popular proportional share of the total statewide ballots cast for each ticket. The percentage of popular vote is multiplied by the total number of electors, and the result is rounded to the nearest whole number.
D> Because the number of electors allocated could exceed the number allowed, the amendment allows for the following way to handle this situation: 1) The presidential ticket with the least popular vote will have its count reduced until the total number of electors allocated is correct. 2) The process is repeated with the next lowest ticket until the count is correct.
E> If the total count is below the amount Colorado is allocated, then the ticket with the highest number of votes gets any remaining electors.
F> This amendment requires a recount of the vote if the difference between the number of votes for any two tickets is less than 0.5% of the number of votes cast for the ticket with the more votes.
G> This amendment allows any political organization to request a recount provided it pays the cost if the results are not changed.
H> This puts a time limit on when a recount must be completed by and when the Secretary of State must certify the election by.
I> The Secretary of State selects by lottery from each ticket’s elector slate electors to represent them.
J> The general assembly may enact legislation to change the manner of selecting presidential electors or any of the procedures. Per State Senator Tupa, this is required in order for this to meet Federal Constitutional requirements.
Example:
Party Votes % Electors Rounded Final
Republican 624,000 39% 3.51 4 4
Democrat 640,000 40% 3.60 4 4
Green 128,000 8% .72 1 1
Libertarian 112,000 7% .63 1 0
Reform 96,000 6% .54 1 0
——— —- —
1,600,000 11 9
5. JUSTIFICATION/GOALS:
The goal in presenting this proposal is to give the GPCO a chance to visibly support an initiative that increases the worth of each citizens vote. An additional goal in supporting this initiative is that it improves the chance of minor political parties to gain recognition by earning electors.
The goal in trying to gain support for this initiative at the national level is that this is the first stage in a larger campaign to change how electors are allocated nation wide. If this initiative passes, this effort will be taken to other states. Its because of this larger strategy that this initiative warrants national exposure.
6. PROS AND CONS:
Pro / Con of officially endorsing this initiative
————————————————-
Pro:
– By adding the GPCO’s name to this initiative, we will get some recognition and press.
– By becoming a part of larger movement, we will gain allies for future election reform (IRV)
Con:
– Even if this does not pass, we still may gain allies in trying to reform the system.
Pro / Con of the amendment
————————–
Pro:
– This should motivate citizens to vote because every vote counts
– Allocates electoral votes to the appropriate individual(s)
– More logical and fair representation of voter choices
– Colorado could become a more important national voting “battleground state” since you can always win at least some electors
– It has considered the rounding errors issue.
– It should meet Constitutional muster.
Con:
– Colorado may become unimportant because you can’t win many electors
– If other states follow this initiative, it could increase the chance that the presidential race win go to the US House of Representatives for determination.
– We already have a system that works.
7. Alternatives to the proposal
1) Do not support
2) Support, but do not allow name use
3) Actively try to defeat
8. REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:
Ballot Initiative:
http://www.leg.state.co.us/2003a/initrefr.nsf/89fb842d0401c52087256cbc00650696/6 9836dccc258499287256e9200650532/$FILE/Amendment%2036%20-%20Presidential%20Electors.pdf
Blue Book Analysis:
http://www.leg.state.co.us/2003a/initrefr.nsf/89fb842d0401c52087256cbc00650696/6 9836dccc258499287256e9200650532/$FILE/ATTKCLM4/2003-2004%20%2399.pdf
Supporting website:
http://www.makeyourvotecount.com
