Colorado Dept. of State v. Baca

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 filed 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, Timothy 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

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, Patrick 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 Committee 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 Gilbert; and for Michael T. Morley by Mr. Morley, pro se.

Briefs of amici curiae urging affirmance were filed for the Independence 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 filed 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.