Colorado Electoral College Guide
Colorado casts 10 electoral votes in presidential elections. Colorado's 10 electoral votes have gone Democratic since 2008. The Denver Front Range's growth has made these EV reliably Democratic, though Republicans competed here through 2004.
Role in the Electoral College
Colorado's 10 electoral votes have gone Democratic since 2008. The Denver Front Range's growth has made these EV reliably Democratic, though Republicans competed here through 2004.
Electoral Vote History
Obama flipped Colorado in 2008; it has voted D in each election since. Previously competitive — Bush won in 2004.
Electoral College Basics
The United States uses an Electoral College system to elect the president. Each state receives electoral votes equal to its total congressional representation: number of House seats + 2 (senators). Colorado has 8 House seats + 2 senators = 10 electoral votes.
A candidate needs 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win the presidency. Colorado’s 10 electoral votes represent 1.9% of the total needed.
Most states use a winner-take-all system — the popular vote winner receives all electoral votes. The exception is Maine and Nebraska, which allocate electoral votes by congressional district. Colorado uses the winner-take-all system.