A poll of 500 likely voters released today by the
Rocky Mountain News indicates that the Nov ballot proposal to split Colorado's 9 Presidential Electoral Votes in proportion to the state popular vote has the support of a plurality of respondents:
Amendment 36 would scrap the traditional "winner take all" system and award Colorado's electoral votes proportionally, based on popular vote. It would be the first such system in the nation, and it would apply immediately to the November presidential vote.
Poll respondents favor it, 47 percent for to 35 percent opposed.
Less than half those polled said they'd "definitely" support or oppose the measure - 22 percent for, 21 percent against. A combined 39 percent said they'd "probably" vote for or against it, and 18 percent were undecided.
In related Colorado news, there have been an unprecented wave of new voter registrations during the period from mid-August to mid-September,
Democrats in that 27-day span registered more voters than Republicans - 17,749 voters to 15,777 voters, according to the latest figures from the secretary of state through Sept. 14. Unaffiliated voters declined by 3,694 during the period, perhaps indicating new allegiances, but in any event putting the net number of new voters at 29,832.
More -->
October 4 is the deadline for voter registration and the current pace can be expected to continue or increase.
Since Republican U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell announced his retirement in March, Colorado has added 120,552 voters. That's more voters than registered from 1990 to 1994, state records show.
The flood is being felt in county clerks' offices. "We are absolutely being bombarded," said Susan Miller, Jefferson County elections director.
In her 15 years in the elections office, she said she has never seen such a wave of registration. The office has hired extra people and employees are working overtime to process the forms.
The total of new registrastions for the major categories since March:
- Republicans +43,961
- Unaffiliated +25,406
- Democrats +51,470
If the Electoral vote proposal passes on Nov 2, it would have immediate effect, resulting in an apportionment of Colorado's 9 Electoral College votes. That could prove costly for John Kerry.
Recent polls show the Kerry/Bush race tied. The Kerry campaign considers Colorado winnable and is
increasing its effort here.
Buoyed by several recent polls showing the presidential race statistically tied here, the Kerry campaign resumed advertising on Colorado television stations Tuesday, two weeks sooner than planned.
The senator, who was born at Fitzsimons Military Hospital while his father was stationed here, is also set to hire about 30 full-time workers in Colorado, including field organizers, canvassers and likely some senior communications staff or researchers.
Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, will visit Pueblo and Fort Collins on Friday. Her son, Andre Heinz, will rally college voters on campuses around the state today and Thursday.
Campaign spokesman Steve Haro said the ads and staff add up to the largest investment a Democratic presidential campaign has ever made in Colorado - and have forced Republicans to defend a state Bush won solidly in 2000.
Ironically, Democrats in the state initiated the Electoral vote ballot proposal and Republicans have led the campaign against it. If it passes, it could have a major impact on the outcome of the election.
If approved, the measure would divide the electoral votes proportionally among candidates based on the popular vote - starting this year. If President Bush beats John Kerry 51 percent to 49 percent, for example, Bush would take five votes and Kerry would earn four.
If that split is enough to influence the election - it would have produced a President Al Gore in 2000 - the measure is almost guaranteed to land in court. Legal scholars have proclaimed it ripe for a constitutional challenge.
Media outlets have blared the possible implications around the nation and the globe. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and the Paris daily Le Monde all have run stories. ("Les républicains du Colorado partent en guerre contre l'"amendement 36.") A Danish TV crew plans one soon.
Newsweek columnist George F. Will called the initiative "November's most portentous vote" last month.