Confirming the legitimacy of an election in Colorado begins with the roll of a dice. On Monday morning, employees of the Secretary of State’s Office will convene to roll a 10-sided dice 20 times, creating a sequence of numbers, or a “seed,” to determine which ballots the counties must check to confirm the accuracy of […]
Election 2020 Explained
Posted inElection 2020, Politics and Government
Colorado continues to shift blue: The 2020 election, explained in graphics
Colorado’s political map is looking more and more blue. The 2020 election continued the decades-long shift toward Democrats in Colorado, led by voters in suburban counties and punctuated by huge turnout in the party’s strongholds of Denver and Boulder. “Colorado is officially blue. Not purple, not periwinkle, not powder blue,” says Steve Welchert, a veteran […]
Posted inElection 2020, Politics and Government
The 2020 election untied and retied the fiscal knot in Colorado with decisions on Gallagher and taxes
On the same ballot that cemented statewide Democratic power not seen since 1936, Colorado’s voters once again sent their elected leaders mixed messages on taxes and spending. They voted to raise taxes in one measure, and cut them in another. They authorized expansive new social programs, while limiting the state’s ability to afford the programs […]
Posted inElection 2020, Politics and Government
How the 11 statewide ballot measures fared in Colorado. In short, it’s a split verdict.
Colorado voters made decisions on a roster of major policy positions that liberal and conservative interests put on the 2020 ballot. A number of the questions appeared confusing to voters — particularly the fiscal ones — and tens of thousands voted on the top candidates but not the ballot measures, an analysis shows. Here’s a […]
Posted inElection 2020, News, Politics and Government
Colorado election 2020: Dispatches from the polls, analysis and more
The Colorado Sun is posting live dispatches from the polls, exclusive analysis on the numbers and breaking stories about the results in major races. Find results in the top races and the latest on the 2020 election turnout. And check back throughout Election Day for updates. Lauren Boebert beats Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush in Colorado’s […]
Posted inElection 2020, News, Politics and Government
What to know about voting and what to watch on Election Day in Colorado
A tumultuous national election could see drawn-out vote counts and lawsuits that delay the declaration of a winner in the presidential race. But Coloradans are likely to get some key answers Tuesday night. Early turnout has paced well ahead of previous years entering Election Day, a sign of high political engagement and interest, and shown […]
Posted inElection 2020, Politics and Government
5 numbers that show why 2020 was never going to be an easy year for Cory Gardner in Colorado
Six years ago, Cory Gardner and John Hickenlooper appeared on the same ballot. In the U.S. Senate race, Gardner — then a congressman — upset a Democratic incumbent senator in a strong Republican year. In the governor’s race, Hickenlooper beat back a GOP challenger to win his second term. Plenty of similarities exist between the […]
Posted inElection 2020, Politics and Government
Colorado vote tracker: Here’s a look at turnout in the 2020 election
Updated at 9 a.m. Nov. 5, 2020 Colorado voters are casting ballots in droves ahead of the 2020 election, pushing vote totals toward new levels. As of 9 a.m. Nov. 5, 3,295,192 people had cast ballots, or 78.7% of total registered voters, a Colorado Sun analysis shows. This is the second presidential election in Colorado […]
Posted inElection 2020, News, Politics and Government
In 2016, more than 24,000 ballots in Colorado didn’t count. Here are 6 graphics that explain why.
In the 2016 election, 24,189 Colorado voters cast ballots that did not count. It’s a small fraction of the 2.86 million votes tallied, about 0.8%, according to data from the state. But it’s still a notable sum in a state that bills itself as one of the easiest places to vote. The most alarming number: […]
Posted inElection 2020, Politics and Government
Colorado money tracker: A look at the candidates and campaigns spending to influence the 2020 vote
The majority of the money spent in a political campaign is aimed at persuading voters to pick a certain candidate and turnout to vote. The tools of the trade are familiar: television commercials, glossy mailers, yard signs, flashy digital ads, text messages, phone calls and more. What is less visible: The entities spending the money […]