Colorado governor signs national popular vote bill into law

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed into law Friday a bill that would award the state’s Electoral College votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.

Polis signed the measure after both chambers of the state’s legislature passed the bill last month along party lines, with Democrats pulling heavily for the measure.

{mosads}Colorado now joins 11 other states and the District of Columbia as part of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

“It is important to understand that the National Popular Vote bill significantly amplifies Colorado’s voice in choosing the president of the United States,” John Koza, chairman of National Popular Vote, said in a press release.

The joint agreement only goes into effect if enough states sign on to total the number needed to win the presidency — 270 electoral votes.

The addition of Colorado’s nine electoral votes brings the total to 181.

President Trump won the 2016 election with 304 electoral votes compared with 227 for Hillary Clinton. 

Clinton edged out Trump in the national popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.