Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca.
The Supreme Court reversed the Tenth Circuit's decision, which had found Colorado's faithless elector law unconstitutional. The reversal was based on the reasoning in Chiafalo v. Washington. Justice Sotomayor did not participate in the decision.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca.
The Court held that the judgment of the Court of Appeals is reversed for the reasons stated in Chiafalo v. Washington.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Voting Rights is relevant to Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca
The case involves the constitutionality of state laws governing the behavior of presidential electors, which directly relates to the electoral process and representation.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The judgment of the Court of Appeals, which held that Colorado's faithless elector law violates the Constitution, is reversed for the reasons stated in Chiafalo v. Washington.
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Why State–Federal Power is relevant to Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca
The case addresses the balance of power between state authority to regulate electors and federal constitutional principles.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is reversed for the reasons stated in Chiafalo v. Washington.
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca that support the summary and concepts above.
The judgment of the Court of Appeals, which held that Colorado's faithless elector law violates the Constitution, is reversed.
Justice Sotomayor took no part in the decision of this case.
The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is reversed for the reasons stated in Chiafalo v. Washington.
