Today on Colorado Edition: We look at how Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death could reshape Colorado’s Senate race, and we learn about the National Popular Vote compact. We’ll also hear more about how votes are counted at the county level, and we check in with Nate Hegyi of the Mountain West Bureau about his journey through the region to speak with voters ahead of November.
Open SCOTUS Seat Could Reshape Colorado’s Senate Race
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday at the age of 87. Her death leaves a Supreme Court seat vacant just weeks before the election, raising speculation about whether a new justice will be appointed before Nov. 3. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that the Senate will vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee. And that has caused national attention to turn to contested Senate races, like the one right here in Colorado, between incumbent Republican Sen. Cory Gardner and his Democratic challenger, former Gov. John Hickenlooper.
Jesse Paul from the Colorado Sun reported on the impact that Justice Ginsburg’s death could have on the race, and joined us to discuss.
Proposition 113: National Popular Vote Compact
Now we’ll turn to one of the ballot measures Colorado voters will decide in November, which could shape the future of presidential elections. If approved, Proposition 113 would keep the state in the National Popular Vote compact. That’s a growing number of states that want to get around the electoral college by awarding their state’s electoral votes to the candidate who wins the most popular votes nationwide. But as KUNC’s Scott Franz reports, it’s facing strong opposition from conservatives and rural voters.
Who Counts The Ballots?
County clerks and their teams are responsible for making sure your ballot gets counted in November. KUNC’s Adam Rayes has been checking in with clerks across Northern Colorado as the election nears, and concerns about mailed ballots and misinformation continue to get louder. He joined us to discuss the logistics of voting in Colorado.
Checking In On Nate Hegyi’s Bicycle Trip Across The West
Nate Hegyi with the Mountain West News Bureau has finished his nearly 800-mile bike ride across the country, during which he set out to speak with Westerners ahead of this year’s election. We’ve been touching base with him throughout his trip and he joined us one last time to wrap up his thoughts and findings from the journey. You can find more about Nate's journey here.
Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members. Thank you!
Our theme music was composed by Colorado musicians Briana Harris and Johnny Burroughs. Other music in the show by Blue Dot Sessions:
- “Ghost Byzantine” by Banana Cream
Colorado Edition is hosted by Erin O'Toole (@ErinOtoole1) and Henry Zimmerman, and produced by Lily Tyson. The web was edited by digital editor Jackie Hai. KUNC news director Brian Larson is our executive producer. We get production help from Rae Solomon.
KUNC's Colorado Edition is a news magazine taking an in-depth look at the issues and culture of Northern Colorado. It's available on our website, as well as on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can hear the show on KUNC's air, Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
