2020 Colorado elections
Election name2020 Colorado elections
CountryColorado
Ongoingno
Previous election2018 Colorado elections
Previous year2018
Next election2022 Colorado elections
Next year2022

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

President of the United States

Main articles: 2020 United States presidential election in Colorado, 2020 Colorado Democratic presidential primary and 2020 Colorado Republican presidential primary

Colorado has nine 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 nine pledged electoral votes.

United States Senate

Main article: 2020 United States Senate election in Colorado

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

Main articles: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections and 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado

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

U.S. House of Representatives nominees by district
DistrictDemocratic nomineeRepublican nomineeIndependent nomineeLibertarian nomineeUnity nominee
District 1Diana DeGette, incumbentShane Bolling
District 2Joe Neguse, incumbentCharles WinnAlex Johnson
District 3Diane Mitsch BushLauren BoebertJohn Ryan KeilCritter Milton
District 4Ike McCorkleKen Buck, incumbent
District 5Jillian FreelandDoug Lamborn, incumbent
District 6Jason Crow, incumbentSteve HouseNorm OlsenJaimie Kulikowski
District 7Ed Perlmutter, incumbentCasper Stockham

State elections

Colorado executive offices

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

State Board of Education nominees by district
DistrictDemocratic nomineeRepublican nomineeLibertarian nomineeApproval voting party nominee
District 1Lisa EscarcegaSyndnnia WulffZachary LaddisonAlan Hayman
District 3Mayling SimpsonJoyce Rankin
District 7Karla EsserNacy Pallozzi
State Board of Regents nominees by district
DistrictDemocratic nomineeRepublican nomineeLibertarian nomineeUnity nominee
District 2Callie RennisonDick MurphyChristian Vernaza
District 6Ilana SpiegelRichard MurrayChristopher Otwell
District 7Nolbert Chavez

Colorado Senate

Main article: 2020 Colorado Senate election

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

Main article: 2020 Colorado House of Representatives election

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

There were two judges whose terms expired 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 were retained as judges.

Appellate Courts

There were two Colorado Court of Appeals justices whose terms expired 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 were retained as justices.

Colorado ballot measures

General election

Amendments

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

Amend.
num.		PassedYesNoDescription
BYes1,740,39557.52%1,285,13642.48%Gallagher Amendment Repeal and Property Tax Assessment Rates Measure
CNo1,586,97352.35%1,444,55347.65%Charitable Bingo and Raffles Amendment
76Yes1,985,23962.90%1,171,13737.10%Citizenship Requirement for Voting Initiative
77Yes1,854,15360.54%1,208,41439.46%Allow Voters in Central, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek Cities to Expand Authorized Games and Increase Maximum Bets Initiative

Propositions

Prop.
num.		PassedYesNoDescription
EEYes2,134,60867.56%1,025,18232.44%Tobacco and E-Cigarette Tax Increase for Health and Education Programs Measures
113Yes1,644,71652.33%1,498,50047.67%National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Referendum
114Yes1,590,29950.91%1,533,31349.09%Gray Wolf Reintroduction Initiative
115No1,292,78741.01%1,859,47958.99%22-Week Abortion Ban Initiative
116Yes1,821,70257.86%1,327,02542.14%Decrease Income Tax Rate from 4.63% to 4.55% Initiative
117Yes1,573,11452.55%1,420,44547.45%Required Voter Approval of Certain New Enterprises Exempt from TABOR Initiative
118Yes1,804,54657.75%1,320,38642.25%Paid Medical and Family Leave Initiative

Polling

Amendment B

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size[a]		Margin
of error		For Amendment BAgainst Amendment BUndecided
YouGov/University of Colorado[18]October 5–9, 2020400 (LV)[b]–44%20%36%
400 (LV)[c]–24%23%53%
SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics[19]October 1–6, 20201,021 (LV)± 3.9%22%17%61%

Proposition 113

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size[a]		Margin
of error		For Proposition 113Against Proposition 113Undecided
Civiqs/Daily Kos[20]October 11–14, 20201,013 (LV)± 3.6%47%45%8%
YouGov/University of Colorado[18]October 5–9, 2020800 (LV)± 4.64%49%34%17%
SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics[19]October 1–6, 20201,021 (LV)± 3.9%39%38%23%

Proposition 114

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size[a]		Margin
of error		For Proposition 114Against Proposition 114
Colorado State University/Qualtrics/Colorado Sun[21]August, 2019734 (A)± 7%84%16%

Proposition 115

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size[a]		Margin
of error		For Proposition 115Against Proposition 115Undecided
Keating Research/Onsight Public Affairs/Colorado Sun[22]October 29 – November 1, 2020502 (LV)[d]± 4.4%38%56%–
Civiqs/Daily Kos[20]October 11–14, 20201,013 (LV)± 3.6%42%51%7%
YouGov/University of Colorado[18]October 5–9, 2020800 (LV)± 4.64%41%45%14%
SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics[19]October 1–6, 20201,021 (LV)± 3.9%42%45%13%

Proposition 116

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size[a]		Margin
of error		For Proposition 116Against Proposition 116Undecided
Civiqs/Daily Kos[20]October 11–14, 20201,013 (LV)± 3.6%51%35%14%

Proposition 118

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size[a]		Margin
of error		For Proposition 118Against Proposition 118Undecided
YouGov/University of Colorado[18]October 5–9, 2020800 (LV)± 4.64%65%22%13%
SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics[19]October 1–6, 20201,021 (LV)± 3.9%57%21%22%

Notes

  1. ^ 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

References

  1. ^ Lily Hay Newman (August 27, 2020), "How to Vote by Mail and Make Sure It Counts", Wired.com, archived October 6, 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Election governance in Colorado". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  3. ^ "Elections & Campaign Finance Calendar". Colorado Secretary of State. State of Colorado. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Colorado state executive official elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  5. ^ "Colorado State Senate elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  6. ^ "Colorado House of Representatives elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  7. ^ "Colorado Supreme Court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  8. ^ "Colorado intermediate appellate court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  9. ^ "Colorado local trial court judicial elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  10. ^ "Colorado 2020 ballot measures". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  11. ^ "United States municipal elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  12. ^ "Distribution of Electoral Votes". National Archives. 2019-09-19. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  13. ^ Amber Phillips (September 16, 2020), "The Senate seats most likely to flip in November", Washingtonpost.com, archived September 16, 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Colorado state executive official elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  15. ^ "Colorado State Senate elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  16. ^ "Colorado Supreme Court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  17. ^ "Colorado intermediate appellate court elections, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  18. ^ YouGov/University of Colorado
  19. ^ SurveyUSA/9News/Colorado Politics
  20. ^ Civiqs/Daily Kos
  21. ^ Colorado State University/Qualtrics/Colorado Sun Archived June 29, 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ Keating Research/Onsight Public Affairs/Colorado Sun
  23. ^ "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