The Independent View: CO Drive to Repeal NPVIC Makes 2020 Ballot

The National Popular Vote Interstate Contract (NPVIC) would Guarantee the Presidency to the Candidate who Receives the Most Popular Votes in All 50 States and the District of Columbia. To do this, you need enough States with 270 Electoral Votes to Send their Electors to the Electoral College.

It has been Enacted into Law in 15 States and D.C. with 196 Electoral Votes (CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, HI, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, VT, and WA).

The Compact has been enacted in: 4 Small States, 7 Medium-sized States, 4 Big States, and D.C.

So with 74 more Votes, we could Elect a President via the National Popular Vote in 2024.

But a Colorado Citizen Initiative to Repeal Senate Bill 42, the NPVIC Law, has been Approved for the 2020 Ballot, the Secretary of State's Office announced Thursday. Senate Bill 42 would pledge the State's Nine Presidential Electoral Votes to the Winner of the National Popular Vote rather than to the Winner of the State's Popular Vote for President. Opponents Claim that such a move would Dilute Colorado's Vote, particularly for Rural Communities, and see it as a Challenge to President Trump, who Won the Electoral College Vote in 2016 but Lost the Popular Contest by some 3 Million Votes.

The Drive to Repeal Senate Bill 42 is the First time Coloradans have sought a Ballot Measure to Repeal a State Law since 1932, when Citizens decided to Challenge a Law on a Tax on Oleo Margarine. The Measure was Passed by Voters in the 1932 Election, according to the Secretary of State. Opponents, including Monument Mayor Don Wilson and Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese, began seeking the Repeal of Bill 42 before the Measure was Signed by the Governor.

The Ballot Measure needed 124,632 Valid Signatures. The Secretary of State Reported that of the 228,832 Signatures Submitted, the Initiative had 183,673 Valid Signatures and Declared it Accepted for the 2020 Ballot. Only Measures dealing with Taxes can be Voted on in an Odd-year Election, which is why the Ballot Measure won't be Decided in the 2019 General Election.

Pugliese said in a Statement Thursday that the "people of Colorado will have their voice heard. We will not give our votes for president to states like California and New York. I look forward to the campaign ahead, and I look forward to defeating Colorado’s participation in the national popular vote scheme."

Wilson told Colorado Politics Thursday that "it's a big relief" that the Measure was Approved. "Our volunteers made that happen," he said. Next Steps: "We'll start working on more fundraising," as they expect to have a lot of Money raised by the Opposition to the Repeal, and they'll put together an Education Campaign to explain how National Popular Vote would Work.

Patrick Rosenstiel, President of Yes on National Popular Vote, called the Repeal Thursday "a clearly partisan effort to overturn the governor and legislature." "Our focus today is simple — to build the political organization required to win this campaign and bring our country one important step closer to having a popular vote for president," he said. "We're asking Colorado to vote yes on a popular vote for president, and ratify the excellent decision made by the governor and the legislature. A majority of Colorado voters want a national popular vote for president, and they will demand one next [sic] November.”

As of June 30th, the Ballot Measure Proponents had raised $590,324 in Cash and Non-Monetary Contributions. Large Donors, mostly Republican Heavyweights, include the Conservative Better Jobs Coalition, with $105,000 Donated; the State GOP, with $20,000; and the Federal Project West Political Action Committee, Chaired by Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner of Yuma, with $50,000. The Bulk of the $495,858 already Spent has gone to Petition Signature Gatherers.

Opposing the Ballot Measure, Yes on National Popular Vote's Issue Committee was just Registered at the End of July and has Not yet Reported Contributions. A Second Committee working against the Repeal, Coloradans for National Popular Vote, has raised $6,835 in Cash as of Aug. 12th. Its Largest Donor, John Koza, at $3,500, is the Head of National Popular Vote.

The National Popular Vote Measure has been cited by those Seeking the Recall Gov. Jared Polis (D) and State Sens. Brittany Pettersen (D-22nd District, Lakewood) and Pete Lee (D-18th District, Colorado Springs) as One of the Reasons for the Recalls.