Despite a close primary loss in his bid to oust incumbent governor Jared Polis, Greg Lopez has made some recent waves.

Although he narrowly lost to Heidi Ganahl, failing to secure the Republican nomination on June 28, Lopez effectively reopened a debate that has languished for decades.

Lopez spoke about doing away with a popular vote for statewide elected officials in favor of an electoral college vote. The plan would weigh a county’s votes based on the number of voters in the district in hopes of increasing turnout.

“I already have got the plan in place,” Lopez had told the Washington Examiner on May 21. “The most any county can get is 11 electoral votes. The least that a county can get is three electoral college votes.”

The former Parker mayor outlined his plan in Silverton on May 15.

A Definite Game Changer Idea by Greg Lopez

Without question, Lopez’s plan would have monumental implications. Case in point: Had it been in place in 2018, current governor, Jared Polis would have received 181 electoral votes to Walker Stapleton’s 263. Polis defeated his Republican challenger by 55% of the vote.

“Greg Lopez doesn’t believe that each Coloradoan vote should be counted equally,” American Bridge 21^st century spokesperson, Aiden Johnson argued. “Rather than win at the ballot box, he has decided to cheat the system.”

“It’s not about one person, one vote – it is about true representation.”

New Faces. Old Argument.

This isn’t the first time this debate has taken center stage, Reynolds vs Sims (1964) “the Supreme Court ruled that the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that the legislative districts across the states be equal in population.” The court decisively held for the principle of “one person, one vote” in state elections. Their decision overruled the previous 1946 standard, Colegrove vs Green, which concluded that elections were a state issue, in accordance with the 10^th amendment.

The 1964 Warren Court referenced the 14^th amendment’s equal protection clause as the primary rationale for their verdict. Opponents counter that the 10^th amendment might ultimately serve as a deterrent for what some see as judicial overreach. Today’s court makeup and its Federalist inclination might suggest a different verdict.

“It’s not about one person, one vote,” Lopez had argued. “It is about true representation.” 

Originally established in 1788 by Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the electoral college represented a compromise between allowing Congress to choose presidents and having presidents elected by popular vote. Proponents pointed out that the electoral college promoted fair regional representation, giving the small states an equal voice while promoting accuracy.

Opponents then and now insist that the electoral college disregards the will of the majority. They believe that the electoral college grants too much power to swing states.

Subjectively, those opposed have repeatedly contended that the electoral college reduces voter participation. People allegedly say, “My vote doesn’t matter.”

Proponents suggest that a direct popular vote would ensure that candidates would mold platforms to accommodate constituents in large states, while largely ignoring the small states.

Want more information about Colorado Spring’s elections, read “The City of Colorado Springs Gets Sued Over Off-Cycle Elections“.

The Maverick Observer is an online free-thinking publication interested in the happenings in our region. We promote open views without bias. All views are welcome – it is how we learn from each other and grow as a community.