Major legal case before Supreme Court could create presidential election chaos

The U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments in a case challenging requirements in Colorado and Washington state that members of the Electoral College select the presidential candidate who obtains the most votes in the state.

The Denver Channel reported on Friday that two cases have been consolidated, Colorado Department of State v. Baca and Chiafalo v. Washington. The hearing is set for April. 28.

Colorado appealed a ruling by the 10th Circuit in favor of elector Michael Baca. The court concluded the state's presidential electors do not have to follow state rules and vote for the presidential candidate who received the most votes in the state.

Twenty-two other states have expressed support for Colorado's position.

During the 2016 election, three of Colorado's nine electors attempted to vote for John Kasich instead of Hillary Clinton, who won the popular vote in Colorado that year.

Baca and the two other electors insisted they were free to choose anyone they wanted.

In Colorado, then-Secretary of State Wayne Williams said he would replace the electors if they continued, and only Michael Baca carried out his threat.

The appellate court, however, agreed with the "faithless elector."

The Associated Press reported there were 10 faithless electors in 2016, with four in Washington, a Democratic elector in Hawaii and two Republican electors in Texas. In addition, Democratic electors who said they would not vote for Clinton were replaced in Maine and Minnesota.

Colorado had asked the Supreme Court for a ruling soon to avoid conflict with the presidential election.