Tag: Election 2026
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Unaffiliated voters have a growing influence on Colorado elections, research shows
Unaffiliated voters now make up more than half of Colorado’s registered electorate, and for the first time, more primary ballots are going to voters without a party affiliation than to registered Democrats or Republicans. Colorado began allowing unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections in 2018, following voters’ approval of Proposition 1088 in 2016. This year’s…
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Backers of Colorado road-funding initiative reject withdrawal deadline
The standoff over a road‑funding initiative in Colorado persisted after supporters declined state lawmakers’ request to withdraw the measure, while both sides signaled they are willing to pursue a broader agreement ahead of the fall deadline. Initiative No. 175, backed by the coalition Restore Our Roads, would require that all transportation-related revenue be used exclusively…
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Colorado groups push policies on hunting, taxes, transgender issues this November election
With five initiatives already cleared and many more in the pipeline, Colorado voters will face major policy decisions this fall that would affect their income taxes, how schools deal with transgender athletes, and whether hundreds of millions in funding should go exclusively to road maintenance and operations. Behind the ballot measure fights are issue committees…
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Colorado candidates for governor share plans to tackle youth mental health crisis
Three candidates for Colorado’s highest elected office laid out their plans to address the state’s youth mental health crisis during a forum on Thursday. Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, and Republican State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer fielded questions about expanding access to mental health care for children, addressing the workforce shortage, and…
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Colorado Democrats formally rebuke Gov. Jared Polis for shortening Tina Peters’ prison sentence
The Colorado Democratic Party on Wednesday formally censured Democratic Gov. Jared Polis for reducing the prison sentence of Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk convicted of election-related felonies, and barred the term-limited governor from speaking or appearing as an honored guest at party functions until further notice. Nearly 90% of the Democrats’ state central…
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Colorado legislators ask voters to forfeit thousands in TABOR refunds, redirect money to school spending
A Democratic‑backed proposal to direct money to K‑12 schools using Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights dollars is headed to the ballot, setting up a major debate over taxpayer refunds and long‑term education funding. If voters approve it, the average Coloradan would forfeit more than $7,000 in TABOR refunds over the next decade. Senate Bill 135 includes…
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Fight over road funding intensifies as Democrats seek to negate citizen initiative
The battle over road funding intensified at the state Capitol this week, where legislators are seeking to negate an initiative that supporters say is sorely needed but which critics insist would divert money from other state priorities. Supporters of the initiative questioned the timing of new legislation that emerged in the waning days of the…
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Former U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez leaves GOP, will run for governor in Colorado as an independent
Former U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez, a candidate for governor of Colorado, has left the Republican Party and plans to run as an unaffiliated candidate for the office held by term-limited Democratic Gov. Jared Polis. Lopez, who served six months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024 after winning a special vacancy election, announced Saturday…
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Michael Bennet, Democratic candidate for Colorado governor
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet has joined a crowded field of candidates vying for the state’s top spot as governor with Gov. Jared Polis reaching term limits in 2026. Bennet is a longtime Colorado public servant and attorney, having served more than 16 years in the U.S. Senate, representing the state. He was first appointed to…
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Joshua Giffin, Republican candidate for Colorado governor
Joshua Griffin joins a crowded field of Republican candidates for governor. With Gov. Jared Polis being term-limited, Colorado will elect a new leader in 2026. Griffin is a U.S. Army combat veteran with roughly two decades of military service, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. After his military career, Griffin returned to Colorado and became…