[Cacique]

Interesting piece from a mailing list I belong to. Seemed worthy of posting.

The RATS are trying to circumvent the way the constitution is supposed to work. So what's new?

[Cacique]

Ping your ping lists if you have any.

[Chieftain]

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[atomicpossum]

Split your votes, your state becomes all but overlooked in the election campaigning-- why would a candidate divert attention from a state where 51% gives them everything, to go to Colorado to try to get 60%? It's playing 'hard-to-get' when other states are more willing to put out.

[Rummyfan]

How can they place this proposal on the upcoming November 2nd ballot, to have it take effect at the same time?

[Akira]

Very interesting. CO remains largely conservative with a popular conservative Governor in Owens, so I'd guess this measure will fail.

[Verginius Rufus]

This article was posted yesterday. One of the posters replying to it pointed out that the method of selecting electors must be determined by the state legislature, not by a referendum (and the Colorado legislature has already rejected this proposal).

See Article II, Sec. 1 of the Constitution: "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors..."

[KellyAdmirer]

This measure will fail and fail badly. Everybody sees through this thinly veiled attempted power grab.

[rhinohunter]

I do hope the CO GOP is going to fight this now and not just wait and hope that the referendum loses --

kind of like the way the national GOP approached McCain-Feingold -- they just sat back and hoped the SCOTUS would strike it down.

[Old Professer]

This is as bad as making out a Christmas list based on winning the lottery on December 21st.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Apologies for any duplicate pings.

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[Paleo Conservative]

It is unconstitutional, because it is a referendum. The constitution very specifically says that the state legislatures, and only the state legislatures have the authority to determine the method by which electors are chosen! The Colorado legislature very specifically rejected such a system.

As long as large states like California, New York and Texas do not change from a winner take all system, it is not in the interest of small states like Colorado to do so.

I also don't want to forgot to mention that it also violates the federal election code. The method by which the electors is selected must be in place before (as I recall at least six days prior to) the date the electors are chosen which is election day. Even if the a referendum were a valid mechanism of determining the method of allocating electors, this referendum is too late to affect the 2004 election. This referendum should be fought in court and removed from the ballot.

Article II.

Section 1
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

[softengine]

This thread is a little old but the issue will be key in November. Please read and make sure you impress upon others the importance of this ballot measure.

Tks!