Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca

Summary

The Tenth Circuit’s judgment is reversed for the reasons stated in Chiafalo v. Washington, 591 U. S. ___.

Text

PRELIMINARY PRINT 
Volume 591 U. S. Part 2 
Pages 655–656 
OFFICIAL REPORTS 
OF 
THE SUPREME COURT 
July 6, 2020 
Page Proof Pending Publication
NOTICE: This preliminary print is subject to formal revision before 
the bound volume is published. Users are requested to notify the Reporter 
of Decisions, Supreme Court of the United States, Washington, D.C. 20543, 
[email protected], of any typographical or other formal errors.

OCTOBER TERM, 2019 655 
Syllabus 
COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF STATE v. BACA et al. 
certiorari to the united states court of appeals for 
the tenth circuit 
No. 19–518. Argued May 13, 2020—Decided July 6, 2020 
Held: The judgment of the Court of Appeals, which held that Colorado's 
faithless elector law violates the Constitution, is reversed for the rea-
sons stated in Chiafalo v. Washington, 591 U. S. 578 (2020). 
935 F. 3d 887, reversed. 
Philip J. Weiser, Attorney General of Colorado, argued the 
cause for petitioner. With him on the brief were Eric R. 
Olson, Solicitor General, Grant T. Sullivan and Michael D. 
McMaster, Assistant Solicitors General, LeeAnn Morrill, 
First Assistant Attorney General, and Michael Kotlarczyk, 
Assistant Attorney General. 
Jason Harrow argued the cause for respondents. With 
him on the briefs were L. Lawrence Lessig , Sumeer Singla, 
Daniel A. Brown, Hunter M. Abell, Jonah O. Harrison, J. 
Max Rosen, and Jason B. Wesoky.* 
*Briefs of amici curiae urging reversal were fled for the State of South 
Dakota et al. by Jason R. Ravnsborg, Attorney General of South Dakota, 
and Paul S. Swedlund, Assistant Attorney General, and by the Attorneys 
General for their respective jurisdictions as follows: Steve Marshall of 
Alabama, Kevin G. Clarkson of Alaska, Mark Brnovich of Arizona, Xavier 
Becerra of California, William Tong of Connecticut, Kathy Jennings of 
Delaware, Karl A. Racine of the District of Columbia, Ashley Moody of 
Florida, Christopher M. Carr of Georgia, Clare E . Connors of Hawaii, 
Lawrence Wasden of Idaho, Kwame Raoul of Illinois, Curtis T. Hill, Jr., 
of Indiana, Tom Miller of Iowa, Daniel Cameron of Kentucky, Jeff Landry 
of Louisiana, Aaron M. Frey of Maine, Brian E . Frosh of Maryland, 
Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Dana Nessel of Michigan, Keith Ellison 
of Minnesota, Lynn Fitch of Mississippi, Eric S. Schmitt of Missouri, Tim-
othy C. Fox of Montana, Doug J. Peterson of Nebraska, Aaron D. Ford of 
Nevada, Gordon MacDonald of New Hampshire, Gurbir S. Grewal of New 
Jersey, Hector Balderas of New Mexico, Letitia James of New York, Josh 
Stein of North Carolina, Wayne Stenehjem of North Dakota, Dave Yost of 
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656 COLORADO DEPT. OF STATE v. BACA 
Per Curiam 
Per Curiam. 
The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for 
the Tenth Circuit is reversed for the reasons stated in Chia-
falo v. Washington, 591 U. S. 578 (2020). 
It is so ordered. 
Justice Sotomayor took no part in the decision of this 
case. 
Justice Thomas concurs in the judgment for the reasons 
stated in his separate opinion in Chiafalo v. Washington, 591 
U. S. 578, 597–609 (2020). 
Ohio, Mike Hunter of Oklahoma, Ellen Rosenblum of Oregon, Josh D. Sha-
piro of Pennsylvania, Peter F . Neronha of Rhode Island, Alan Wilson of 
South Carolina, Herbert H. Slatery III of Tennessee, Sean D. Reyes of 
Utah, Thomas J. Donovan of Vermont, Mark R. Herring of Virginia, Pat-
rick Morrisey of West Virginia, Josh L. Kaul of Wisconsin, and Bridget 
Hill of Wyoming; for the Campaign Legal Center et al. by Tobias S. Loss-
Eaton, Paul M. Smith, Adav Noti, and David Kolker; for the Eagle 
Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund by Andrew L. Schlafy; for the 
National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws by James 
Bopp, Jr., Richard E. Coleson, Peter F. Langrock, Daniel Robbins, Susan 
Kelly Nichols, and Timothy J. Berg; for the Republican National Commit-
tee by Michael E. Toner, Lee E. Goodman, and Stephen J. Obermeier; for 
Robert W. Bennett by J. Samuel Tenenbaum, Jeffrey T. Green, and Sarah 
O'Rourke Schrup; for Mary Beth Corsentino et al. by James G. Sawtelle 
and Christopher M. Jackson; for Robert M. Hardaway by Jennifer Gil-
bert; and for Michael T. Morley by Mr. Morley, pro se. 
Briefs of amici curiae urging affrmance were fled for the Independ-
ence Institute by David B. Kopel and Joseph G. S. Greenlee; for Jerry H. 
Goldfeder by Mr. Goldfeder , pro se; and for Michael L. Rosin et al. by 
Peter K. Stris, Michael N. Donofrio , and Bridget C. Asay. 
Briefs of amici curiae were fled for Citizens for Self-Governance by 
Rita M. Dunaway; for the Colorado Democratic Party by Paul R. Franke 
III; for the Colorado Republican Committee by Julian R. Ellis, Jr.; for 
the Making Every Vote Count Foundation by Jerrold J. Ganzfried, Reed 
E. Hundt, and Thea A. Cohen; for Edward B. Foley by Jessica Ring 
Amunson and Zachary C. Schauf ; for Vinz Koller by Andrew J. Dhuey; 
and for Derek T. Muller by Ian Speir.

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  PRELIMINARY PRINT Volume 591 U. S. Part 2 Pages 655–656 OFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE SUPREME COURT July 6, 2020 Page Proof Pending Publication NOTICE: This preliminary print is subject to formal revision before the bound volume is published. Users are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Court o…

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  Jersey, Hector Balderas of New Mexico, Letitia James of New York, Josh Stein of North Carolina, Wayne Stenehjem of North Dakota, Dave Yost of Page Proof Pending Publication Page Proof Pending Publication 656 COLORADO DEPT. OF STATE v. BACA Per Curiam Per Curiam. The judgment of the United States Court of Appeal…

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  and for Derek T. Muller by Ian Speir.