CENTER FOR EDUCATION IN LAW AND DEMOCRACY 2004 ELECTION RESOURCES Teaching about the 2004 Elections Resources for Teachers
	COLORADO 2004 ELECTION AMENDMENT 36: Selection of Presidential Electors in Colorado

The 2000 Presidential Election created a great deal of interest in the Electoral College. In 48 states presidential elections are "winner take all" contests, awarding all their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in their respective states. Currently two states—Nebraska and Maine—allocate their electoral votes differently. (Two electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who wins the popular vote in the state, and one electoral vote is awarded for each congressional district in which a candidate receives a majority. In practice, neither state has ever split electoral votes.)

If passed by Colorado voters on November 2, our state's nine electoral votes will be awarded proportionally to each presidential candidate in the 2004 election based on the popular vote. Read the text of Amendment 36 below.

Teachers: Download "Opinion Ballot-Amendment 36" and other resources on the Initiative Process

Used with permission. Mike Keefe, Denver Post, September 26, 2004.

Used with permission. Ed Stein, Rocky Mountain News, Oct. 15, 2004.

As the Race Tightens, Enthusiasm for a Ballot Proposal Wanes
Kirk Johnson, The New York Times, Oct. 30, 2004.
Colorado voters lose interest in split
Valerie Richardson, Washington Times, October 30, 2004.
Electoral College alternatives deserve careful scrutiny
David Broder, syndicated columnist. Seattle Times, October 21,2004.
Support wanes for Colo. initiative to split electors
Klaus Marre, The Hill Newspaper for and about the US Congress, October 19, 2004
Colorado as ground zero in debate over Electoral College
Jeff Kass, Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 18, 2004.
The Florida of 2004?
Mitch Frank, Time Magazine, October 14, 2004.
Coloradoans to Consider Splitting Electoral College Votes
Kirk Johnson, Sept. 19, 2004. New York Times.
Colorado's Crucial Vote
George Will, The Last Word, Newsweek Magazine, August 30, 2004.
Scrap Electoral College Says New York Times
By REUTERS. August 28, 2004.
A Rocky Electoral Picture
Bruce Bartlett, National Review. August 23, 2004.
Colorado Dreamin'
Bill Whalen, The Weekly Standard, Aug. 18, 2004.
Colorado EV Splitting Initiative is on the Ballot
Weblog posted by DavidNYC, August 17, 2004, swingstateproject.com
A project to analyze the key swing states in the 2004 Presidential election.
Colorado Weighs Proportional Electoral Votes
AP. USA Today. August 16, 2004.

Abolish the Electoral College. Op-ed column. New York Times, August 20, 2004. (Part of editorial series in the New York Times, Making Votes Count.)
Fit to Be Tied
Robert Bennett, New York Times, August 11, 2004.
Electoral College Reform Falls Flat
Daniel Seligson, Staff Writer, Stateline, March 28, 2001.
Electoral College Pros and Cons: Page created and maintained by The Case Program, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Last Modified March 1997.
Electoral College Reform: Advocacy group that considers the Electoral College outdated and ineffective.
Reform Options for the Electoral College: Site developed by the Center for Voting and Democracy; non-profit organization that conducts research and advocates for more democratic voting systems.
The Electoral College
Site with links posted by the Federal Election Commission.
Presidential Elections and the Electoral College From the American Memory Collection of the Library of Congress.

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