Coloradans for Prosperity, a deep-pocketed group working to pass Proposition CC on November’s ballot, has been sending people a voter “report card” in an effort to boost turnout.
The report cards grade recipients on their recent voting record compared to their neighbors, urging them to cast their ballots. Some voters have been frustrated by the mailers, however, saying they incorrectly give them a poor mark on their turnout.
“Public records indicate that you voted less often than your neighbors in recent elections,” the mailer reads. “Raise your grade by voting in the 2019 general election in November.”
It also says: “You and thousands of Colorado residents will vote. With so much at stake, it’s critical we vote our values.”
Coloradans for Prosperity is an issue committee that has raised and spent roughly $4 million on the 2019 election cycle. It works to support Democratic causes.
(Learn more about Coloradans for Prosperity and their funding here.)
Representatives for the committee did not immediately respond to Colorado Sun requests for comment on Friday.
The organization is not affiliated with Americans for Prosperity, the Koch family-backed conservative political organization.
Proposition CC seeks to permanently eliminate state spending caps under the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights. Another statewide measure on the 2019 ballot is Proposition DD, which would allow sports betting in Colorado and tax it to pay for water projects and other issues.
Colorado Voter Guide 2019: What you need to know about propositions CC and DD before you vote
Voter information, including names, addresses, party affiliation and which elections someone cast ballots in, is public in Colorado. Which candidate a voter casts a ballot for, however, is not.
Colorado’s 2019 general election is on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Turnout thus far among Democratic voters is lagging far behind that of Republicans and unaffiliateds and is also much lower than it was in recent off-year election cycles.
As of Thursday night, 173,891 registered Democrats had turned in ballots compared with 223,504 Republicans and 177,252 unaffiliateds.
In terms of active registered voters in Colorado, 39.69% are unaffiliated, 30.11% are Democrats and 28.43% are Republicans.