2020 Colorado elections

2020 Colorado elections

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Colorado state elections in 2020 were held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The deadline to register and receive a ballot by mail in Colorado was October 26, 2020. Voters may register in person and vote or pick up a ballot at Voter Service Centers October 19 through 7 p.m. November 3, 2020. Colorado exclusively used a vote-by-mail system,[1] although voters may choose to vote in person at Voter Service and Polling Centers (VSPCs).[2][3]

In addition to the U.S. presidential race, Colorado voters voted in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state executive offices,[4] State Senate,[5] State House,[6] state Supreme Court,[7] Appellate courts,[8] local judges,[9] state ballot measures,[10] and municipal elections.[11]

Federal elections[edit]

President of the United States[edit]

Colorado has 9 electoral votes in the Electoral College.[12] Nominees for the presidential election included Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Jo Jorgensen. Joe Biden won the popular vote with 55%, winning 9 pledged electoral votes.

United States Senate[edit]

Incumbent Republican Senator Cory Gardner sought reelection against Democratic former governor John Hickenlooper in the general election.[13] John Hickenlooper won the election with 54% of the popular vote, making it a gain for the Democratic Party from the Republican Party.

United States House of Representatives[edit]

Coloradans voted for seven U.S. Representatives, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. No seats changed hands, the Democrats winning 4 seats and the Republicans winning 3 seats.

U.S. House of Representatives nominees by district
District Democratic nominee Republican nominee Independent nominee Libertarian nominee Unity Nominee
District 1 Diana DeGette, incumbent Shane Bolling
District 2 Joe Neguse, incumbent Charles Winn Alex Johnson
District 3 Diane Mitsch Bush Lauren Boebert John Ryan Keil Critter Milton
District 4 Ike McCorkle Ken Buck, incumbent
District 5 Jillian Freeland Doug Lamborn, incumbent
District 6 Jason Crow, incumbent Steve House Norm Olsen Jaimie Kulikowski
District 7 Ed Perlmutter, incumbent Casper Stockham

State elections[edit]

Colorado Executive Offices[edit]

Six state executive offices are up for election in Colorado: 3 seats for the State board of education, and 3 seats for the State board of regents.[14]

State Board of Education nominees by district
District Democratic nominee Republican nominee Libertarian nominee Approval voting party nominee
District 1 Lisa Escarcega Syndnnia Wulff Zachary Laddison Alan Hayman
District 3 Mayling Simpson Joyce Rankin
District 7 Karla Esser Nacy Pallozzi
State Board of Regents nominees by district
District Democratic nominee Republican nominee Libertarian nominee Unity nominee
District 2 Callie Rennison Dick Murphy Christian Vernaza
District 6 Ilana Spiegel Richard Murray Christopher Otwell
District 7 Nolbert Chavez

Colorado Senate[edit]

The Colorado State Senate had 18 seats out of 35 that were up for election in the general election.[15] The Democratic Party retained control of the Senate, gaining the 27th Senate district from the Republican Party, strengthening their majority by one seat.

Colorado House of Representatives[edit]

The Colorado House had all 65 seats up for election in the general election.[6] The Democratic Party retained control of the House, gaining the 38th district from the Republican Party while losing the 47th district to the Republicans, resulting in no net seat change. The resulting composition was 41 Democrats and 24 Republicans.

Colorado Supreme Court[edit]

There are two judges whose terms will expire on January 11, 2021 and their seats were up for retention election in the general election.[16] These judges were Melissa Hart and Carlos Armando Samour Jr. Both of them were retained as judges.

Appellate Courts[edit]

There are two Colorado Court of Appeals justices whose terms will expire on January 11, 2021 and their seats were up for retention election in the general election.[17] These judges were Craig Welling and Ted C. Tow. Both of them were retained as justices.

Colorado Ballot Measures[edit]

General election[edit]

Amendments[edit]

Amendments C and 76 require 55% of voters to pass as they add to the Colorado Constitution.

Amend.
num.
Passed Yes No Description
B Yes Yes 1,740,395 57.52% 1,285,136 42.48% Gallagher Amendment Repeal and Property Tax Assessment Rates Measure
C No No 1,586,973 52.35% 1,444,553 47.65% Charitable Bingo and Raffles Amendment
76 Yes Yes 1,985,239 62.90% 1,171,137 37.10% Citizenship Requirement for Voting Initiative
77 Yes Yes 1,854,153 60.54% 1,208,414 39.46% Allow Voters in Central, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek Cities to Expand Authorized Games and Increase Maximum Bets Initiative

Propositions[edit]

Prop.
num.
Passed Yes No Description
EE Yes Yes 2,134,608 67.56% 1,025,182 32.44% Tobacco and E-Cigarette Tax Increase for Health and Education Programs Measures
113 Yes Yes 1,644,716 52.33% 1,498,500 47.67% National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Referendum
114 Yes Yes 1,590,299 50.91% 1,533,313 49.09% Gray Wolf Reintroduction Initiative
115 No No 1,292,787 41.01% 1,859,479 58.99% 22-Week Abortion Ban Initiative
116 Yes Yes 1,821,702 57.86% 1,327,025 42.14% Decrease Income Tax Rate from 4.63% to 4.55% Initiative
117 Yes Yes 1,573,114 52.55% 1,420,445 47.45% Required Voter Approval of Certain New Enterprises Exempt from TABOR Initiative
118 Yes Yes 1,804,546 57.75% 1,320,386 42.25% Paid Medical and Family Leave Initiative

Polling[edit]

Amendment B
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
For Amendment B Against Amendment B Undecided
YouGov/University of Colorado October 5–9, 2020 400 (LV)[b] 44% 20% 36%
400 (LV)[c] 24% 23% 53%
SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics October 1–6, 2020 1,021 (LV) ± 3.9% 22% 17% 61%
Proposition 113
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
For Proposition 113 Against Proposition 113 Undecided
Civiqs/Daily Kos October 11–14, 2020 1,013 (LV) ± 3.6% 47% 45% 8%
YouGov/University of Colorado October 5–9, 2020 800 (LV) ± 4.64% 49% 34% 17%
SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics October 1–6, 2020 1,021 (LV) ± 3.9% 39% 38% 23%
Proposition 114
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
For Proposition 114 Against Proposition 114
Colorado State University/Qualtrics/Colorado Sun Archived June 29, 2020, at the Wayback Machine August, 2019 734 (A) ± 7% 84% 16%
Proposition 115
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
For Proposition 115 Against Proposition 115 Undecided
Keating Research/Onsight Public Affairs/Colorado Sun October 29 – November 1, 2020 502 (LV)[d] ± 4.4% 38% 56%
Civiqs/Daily Kos October 11–14, 2020 1,013 (LV) ± 3.6% 42% 51% 7%
YouGov/University of Colorado October 5–9, 2020 800 (LV) ± 4.64% 41% 45% 14%
SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics October 1–6, 2020 1,021 (LV) ± 3.9% 42% 45% 13%
Proposition 116
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
For Proposition 116 Against Proposition 116 Undecided
Civiqs/Daily Kos October 11–14, 2020 1,013 (LV) ± 3.6% 51% 35% 14%
Proposition 118
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
For Proposition 118 Against Proposition 118 Undecided
YouGov/University of Colorado October 5–9, 2020 800 (LV) ± 4.64% 65% 22% 13%
SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics October 1–6, 2020 1,021 (LV) ± 3.9% 57% 21% 22%

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. ^ Respondents polled with the ballot measure's wording
  3. ^ Respondents polled with a simple description of the ballot measure
  4. ^ Additional data sourced from FiveThirtyEight

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Lily Hay Newman (August 27, 2020), "How to Vote by Mail and Make Sure It Counts", Wired.com, archived from the original on October 6, 2020
  2. ^ "Election governance in Colorado". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  3. ^ "Elections & Campaign Finance Calendar". Colorado Secretary of State. State of Colorado. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  4. ^ "Colorado state executive official elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  5. ^ "Colorado State Senate elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Colorado House of Representatives elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  7. ^ "Colorado Supreme Court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Colorado intermediate appellate court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  9. ^ "Colorado local trial court judicial elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  10. ^ "Colorado 2020 ballot measures". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  11. ^ "United States municipal elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  12. ^ "Distribution of Electoral Votes". National Archives. September 19, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  13. ^ Amber Phillips (September 16, 2020), "The Senate seats most likely to flip in November", Washingtonpost.com, archived from the original on September 16, 2020
  14. ^ "Colorado state executive official elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  15. ^ "Colorado State Senate elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  16. ^ "Colorado Supreme Court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  17. ^ "Colorado intermediate appellate court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  18. ^ "Covered Areas for Voting Rights Bilingual Election Materials—2015", Voting Rights Act Amendments of 2006, Determinations Under Section 203, Federal Register, retrieved October 13, 2020, A Notice by the Census Bureau on 12/05/2016

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]