AURORA | Colorado’s Democratic primaries on Tuesday will help answer a question the party has increasingly faced nationally: Are voters gravitating toward a younger, more progressive generation of leaders or sticking with established veterans?

That choice is starkly reflected in the fight to represent the state’s 1st Congressional District, where incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette has been in office for as long as her challenger, a 29-year-old democratic socialist named Melat Kiros, has been alive. Likewise in the U.S. Senate race, Sen. John Hickenlooper has spent nearly three times as many years in public office as his challenger, state Sen. Julie Gonzales, who fashions herself as an “insurgent progressive.”

And a similar, if smaller, divide separates the two Democrats competing for the U.S. House in the state’s lone swing district, a seat that will be one of the keys to controlling the chamber in President Donald Trump’s final two years in office.

In the Democratic primary for governor, however, the opposite is the case: Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet have struggled to meaningfully distinguish their agendas. Instead, the two Democrats have accused each other of pulling punches against Trump.

In Aurora, voters are deciding Democratic candidates for three county races in two counties, Democratic candidates in two hotly contested state House districts and a Republican nominee in a south-Aurora state Senate district. The fight for Democratic nominations has become a scorched-Earth enterprise, drawing in hundreds of thousands of dollars in outside organization advertising money.

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Democratic socialists have another shot in Denver

DeGette has comfortably controlled her House seat in Denver for nearly 30 years, then came Melat Kiros.

In a March Democratic assembly, a process to decide which candidates get on the primary ballot, DeGette barely qualified as Kiros, a first-time candidate, blew past her with more than double the votes.

While the assembly process is far from determinative of who will win Tuesday, it was a jolt for the Democratic establishment and DeGette, who’s been a progressive lawmaker herself.

Then, in New York last week, two democratic socialists and a progressive beat out establishment-backed candidates — two of whom were incumbents — in Democratic primaries for U.S. House, energizing a movement that’s just finding some political purchase.

Similar to the New York races, Kiros has the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders, while DeGette is backed by Colorado’s established Democratic House delegation.

A victory by Kiros in Colorado, while far from guaranteed, would work toward cementing the nascent but clear uprising of democratic socialist candidates, which has filled some Democratic leaders with anxiety.

DeGette argues that experience in Congress is needed right now to combat Trump, while Kiros, a former attorney, accuses DeGette of ineffectiveness. Also running is University of Colorado Regent Wanda James, who may split the anti-DeGette vote.

The ‘insurgent progressive’ versus the political veteran

Gonzales, the state senator and self-fashioned “insurgent progressive,” is trying to kick Hickenlooper, the more centrist former governor of Colorado, out of his U.S. Senate seat.

She’s leaning into the same arguments that others used in challenging establishment incumbents, including that Hickenlooper is an “incrementalist.”

Gonzales has said she previously joined the Democratic Socialists of America in 2018, but that her membership has lapsed.

Hickenlooper is favored in the statewide race.

A swing district may help decide control of the House

Colorado’s 8th Congressional District is a relatively new district that stretches from the northern suburbs of Denver up through farming country.

Since its creation in 2021, it’s swung from Democratic to GOP control and is held now by Republican Rep. Gabe Evans. With Democrats aiming to take back control of the House and obstruct Trump’s agenda, the race is closely watched.

Party leaders thought a moderate like state Rep. Shannon Bird was best equipped to challenge Evans, but the district is also heavily Hispanic and poorer than much of the rest of the state.

That’s where Bird’s Democratic primary opponent state Rep. Manny Rutinel, who is Latino, has planted a flag, arguing his personal story and more aggressive economic agenda will be more potent against Evans.

Who has hit Trump harder?

Weiser and Bennet are slugging that question out in the governor’s race after struggling to show major differences in their political agendas.

Weiser attacked Bennet for voting for Trump nominees and Bennet lambasted Weiser for not joining state lawsuits against first Trump administration.

“The attorney general says he’s really tough but was completely missing in action in Donald Trump’s first term,” Bennet said in a recent debate.

Weiser accused Bennet of a weak response to the president. But he also says Bennet should remain in the Senate instead of running for governor.

“You’ve made some mistakes; you didn’t stand up the way you should. I know you can shape up, use your seniority,” Weiser told Bennet during a debate. “With all that experience, to throw it away, would be such a waste for Colorado.”

With Colorado a blue state, Tuesday’s Democratic winner will be seen as the favorite to defeat the winner of the GOP primary and take over from term-limited Gov. Jared Polis.

The three main candidates seeking the Republican nomination include state Rep. Scott Bottoms, a farther right state lawmaker. State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer is considered the more conventional Republican, while Victor Marx is something of a wild card candidate with an eclectic past.

Candidate vying for Tina Peters’ old seat echoes her conspiracy theories

Peters was the Mesa County clerk who was convinced by Trump’s debunked claims of mass fraud in the 2020 election and eventually convicted in a scheme to make a copy of the county’s election computer system.

Candidate Abby Silzell is vying for Peters’ old job and repeating similar claims as she challenges incumbent Bobbie Gross.

Both are Republicans, and Silzell told CPR News that she believes Peter’s conviction was a “miscarriage of justice” and that in the 2020 election there was enough fraud to “affect the outcome.”

Voting information

When do polls close?

Polls close at 7 p.m. MT.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, secretary of state, attorney general, university regent, state Senate and state House. The Sentinel will post updates on a variety of races across the night.

Who gets to vote?

Registered party members may vote only in their own party’s primary. In other words, Democrats can’t vote in the Republican primary or vice versa. Independent or unaffiliated voters may participate in the Democratic, Republican or Unity Party primaries.

How many voters are there?

As of June 1, there were about 4.4 million registered voters in Colorado. That includes about 1.1 million registered Democrats, about 997,000 registered Republicans and about 2.3 million voters not affiliated with any party.

How many people actually vote?

In 2022, when Democratic incumbents were running for renomination for both U.S. Senate and governor, roughly 520,000 people voted in the Democratic primaries and about 633,000 in the Republican primaries.

In 2020, when there was a Republican incumbent U.S. Senator running for renomination, about 999,000 voters cast ballots in the Democratic primary and about 555,000 in the Republican primary.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

Elections in Colorado are conducted predominantly by mail. As of Thursday, about 327,000 Democratic primary ballots and about 228,000 Republican primary ballots have already been cast in Tuesday’s election.

When are early and absentee votes released?

In most Colorado counties, the first vote update of the night tends to include a mix of results from mail, early in-person and Election Day in-person voting. Since Colorado elections are conducted primarily by mail, mail voting results are released throughout the night, along with results from other voting methods.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2022 state primary, the AP first reported results at 9:04 p.m. ET, or four minutes after polls closed. By 12 a.m. ET, about 79% of the vote had been counted. The last vote update of the night was at 4:05 a.m. ET with about 90% of total votes counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

In Colorado, an automatic recount is triggered if the margin between the top two vote-getters is 0.5% or less of the leading candidate’s vote total. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 126 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

Aurora Voter Information

• Arapahoe County voter information visit: www.arapahoevotes.com or call 303-795-4511

• Adams County voter information visit: www.adamsvotes.com or
call 720-523-6500

• Denver voter information visit: www.denvergov.org/ or call
720-913-8683

• Douglas County voter information visit: www.douglas.co.us/elections or call 303-660-7444

Registration

 How do I know if I’m registered
to vote?

GoVoteColorado.com has a range of information on registration, including the ability to register to vote if you have a Colorado driver’s license or ID card.

What if I’ve moved? 

This link also will allow you to change your address: www.sos.state.co.us/voter/pages/pub/olvr/findVoterReg.xhtml

How long do I have to register?

Voters may register online or in person up to June 22 and still receive their ballot by mail. But any qualified voter can register and vote in person at vote centers through 7 p.m. on Primary Election Day, June 30.

Ballots

What signature is used to validate the one on my returned ballot envelope? My signature has changed over time.

The most recent signature on a state transaction is used as a reference — typically a recent driver’s license or the signature on the last ballot you returned. All past signatures are available digitally for election judges to review.

If election judges question your signature, you’ll get a notice from your clerk within three days (two if it occurs on Election Day) and you’ll have eight days to verify the signature is yours.

Do I have to request a ballot from my county clerk or the Secretary of State?

Not if you’re an active registered voter. County clerks automatically will begin mailing ballots to active registered voters on June 8. Again, a voter is considered active if they’ve voted in the most recent general elections or updated their address or other registration information.

How do I know if my ballot was
received?

Voters statewide may sign up to track your ballot online.  You’ll get notifications via email, text message or phone (you may choose) when your ballot is mailed, and when it has been received and accepted. A dozen Colorado counties already offered ballot tracking, so if you’re already signed up, there’s no need to do it again.

How do I return my ballot?

Ballots must arrive at a vote center or county clerk’s office by 7 p.m. June 30. You may mail your ballot back if there’s enough time for it to arrive. Remember: postmarks don’t count, according to the Secretary of State. The ballot has to be in the physical possession of elections officials on Election Day — not sitting in a blue box somewhere in the metroplex.

You may also deliver it to drop boxes at your county clerk’s office or other locations in your county. About 75% of Colorado voters return their mail ballots to drop boxes, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

What if I don’t get my ballot?

Check GoVoteColorado.com to see if your ballot has been mailed. If it has been mailed and you haven’t received it, contact your county clerk’s office and ask. Not every county will send ballots out the first day possible. But they need to hear from you if you don’t receive yours.

Security

Are drop boxes safe from
tampering?

Yes, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. They are under 24-hour video surveillance and are emptied every day by a team of bipartisan election judges. The sturdy, metal boxes are bolted to the ground.

If I send my ballot back by mail, will it get there?

The Secretary of State recommends delivering ballots in person in the final eight days before the election. If you mail them before that, they should arrive in time.

I don’t want to vote by mail. I want to vote in person. 

Colorado will open hundreds of voting centers and drop boxes the last week of October. You may vote there in person starting then through 7 p.m. General Election Day with some limited weekend hours.

How can I be sure my vote is counted on Election Day? 

Sign up to track your ballot. If it doesn’t arrive within a few days of being mailed, contact your county clerk. Return your ballot to a drop box or through the mail, and the ballot tracking system will let you know when your ballot is accepted. That means your vote will be counted.

— Sentinel Staffers on Oct. 11. Again, a voter is considered active if they’ve voted in the most recent general elections or updated their address or other registration information.

How do I know if my ballot was received?

Voters statewide may sign up to track your ballot online.  You’ll get notifications via email, text message or phone (you may choose) when your ballot is mailed, and when it has been received and accepted. A dozen Colorado counties already offered ballot tracking, so if you’re already signed up, there’s no need to do it again.

How do I return my ballot?

Ballots must arrive at a vote center or county clerk’s office by 7 p.m. Nov. 5. You may mail your ballot back if there’s enough time for it to arrive. Remember: postmarks don’t count, according to the Secretary of State. The ballot has to be in the physical possession of elections officials on Election Day — not sitting in a blue box somewhere in the metroplex.

You may also deliver it to drop boxes at your county clerk’s office or other locations in your county. About 75% of Colorado voters return their mail ballots to drop boxes, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

What if I don’t get my ballot?

Check GoVoteColorado.com to see if your ballot has been mailed. If it has been mailed and you haven’t received it, contact your county clerk’s office and ask. Not every county will send ballots out the first day possible. But they need to hear from you if you don’t receive yours.

I won’t be here during the time ballots are mailed out? Can I get a ballot earlier? Or have one mailed to a different address?

Yes. And, as of now, you may be able to pick up a ballot before you leave. Contact your county clerk to work out details if you want to pick up a ballot or have it mailed to a different address.

Security

Are drop boxes safe from tampering?

Yes, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. They are under 24-hour video surveillance and are emptied every day by a team of bipartisan election judges. The sturdy, metal boxes are bolted to the ground.

If I send my ballot back by mail, will it get there?

The Secretary of State recommends delivering ballots in person in the final eight days before the election. If you mail them before that, they should arrive in time.

I don’t want to vote by mail. I want to vote in person. 

Colorado will open hundreds of voting centers and drop boxes the last week of October. You may vote there in person starting then through 7 p.m. General Election Day with some limited weekend hours.

How can I be sure my vote is counted on Election Day? 

Sign up to track your ballot. If it doesn’t arrive within a few days of being mailed, contact your county clerk. Return your ballot to a drop box or through the mail, and the ballot tracking system will let you know when your ballot is accepted. That means your vote will be counted.

Here’s a tip: The sooner you return your ballot, the sooner the texts, emails and phone calls nagging you to vote will stop. Campaigns and political parties get information daily on who has voted, and they stop contacting those voters.

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