Electoral College workaround bill fails in Colorado Senate

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District 30 Senator and majority leader Chris Holbert and outside the Senate chambers. Jan. 12, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite) state of the state; copolitics; politics; governor john hickenlooper; capitol; kevinjbeaty; colorado; denver; denverite;

A GOP-led state Senate committee has rejected a bill that would have Colorado join a movement to work around the Electoral College.

The Democrat-sponsored bill called for Colorado's nine electoral votes go to the winner of the national popular vote — instead of the statewide winner, as is now the case.

It's part of a movement called the National Popular Vote Compact , begun in 2006. Supporters say states with a combined total of at least 270 electoral votes must join before it would possibly take effect.

Donald Trump won the Electoral College vote last year but lost the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Clinton won Colorado's popular vote and nine electoral votes.

The Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee voted 3-2 on party lines Wednesday to reject the bill.

It was sponsored by Sen. Andy Kerr of Lakewood and Rep. Paul Rosenthal of Denver.

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