Supreme Court Ruling Upholds Colorado Law To Punish 'Faithless Electors'

DENVER (CBS4)- The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that states can require presidential electors to cast their votes for their party's candidate that won the state's popular vote. That upholds state laws that punish so-called "faithless electors" who break their pledge and vote for a candidate other than the one who won the state's popular vote.

In the case from Colorado, the court's decision was unanimous that faithless electors cannot switch positions.

Gov. Jared Polis released a statement, "An important decision for the integrity of our democracy."

Colorado elector Michael Baca was at the center of the case. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton won Colorado but Baca instead voted for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican. That was after Baca took a pledge to cast his ballot following the will of the people of Colorado.

"This case states... if the state wants to bind them to the vote of the people of the state, the state has the authority to do that and can remove them if they refuse to act," said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.

Weiser said he is glad the decision was made before the upcoming election.