Colorado’s presidential electors do not have to vote for the candidate who wins the state’s popular vote, the powerful 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver ruled Tuesday evening, a decision that could have major ramifications for future elections.
Colorado’s former Deputy Secretary of State Suzanne Staiert, William’s No. 2 who worked on the case, said the ruling effectively “throws out the will of the voters.” The Republican thinks the legislature will now have to take a hard look at how presidential electors are picked in Colorado. Right now, they are chosen by political parties at their statewide assemblies.
She said the ruling means “the will of the voters is tossed out and instead it’s the will of one elector. They get to decide regardless of how the people decided.”
Staiert added: “Part of the problem in Colorado is we don’t know who our electors are when we cast a ballot, so now we have people who are controlling our votes and they’re not filing campaign finance reports, they’re not telling us where their allegiances are, they are being nominated by the party and then those people, without any transparency, can subvert the vote of 3 million Colorado voters and pick the candidate of their choice instead of the candidate of the people’s choice.”
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
