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12 p.m.: Colorado turnout lagging behind 2020, except among unaffiliated voters
With some ballots yet to be processed, turnout in Colorado still appears to be behind 2020 numbers.
Through midnight Wednesday morning, 3,192,982 ballots had been processed in the state. In 2020, a total of 3,291,661 were cast in the presidential election. At this point, about 64,000 fewer ballots have been processed in Colorado than at the same point in 2020.
The drop-off occurred among registered Democrats and Republicans, while the number of unaffiliated voters casting ballots grew from 2020, reflecting a continuing shift away from party membership to non-affiliation. Unaffiliated voters also appear to have had a late surge in ballot returns, pushing their total cast ahead of the 2020 number in just the last couple of days.
— Chuck Murphy
11:45 a.m.: Polis-backed candidate for RTD board concedes his race
Kiel Brunner, a data scientist who ran for RTD’s District A board seat with the backing of Gov. Jared Polis, conceded his race to his opponent Chris Nicholson on Wednesday morning.
“I woke up today still a proud community member, happy dad and thankful husband (and probably a better one now that this campaign is over). I am so thankful for all the support our campaign received and I am proud of the positive campaign we ran,” he wrote in an email to CPR News.
Preliminary results late on Tuesday show Nicholson leading the race with 53 percent of the vote.
Brunner wrote that he was “sad for Denver and our country as divisive politics won the day.” Nicholson, a downtown resident with a background in politics, has run an aggressive campaign in which he’s repeatedly criticized his opponents.
Nicholson said Tuesday evening that he didn’t have any regrets about how he ran his race.
“Politics is serious and transit is serious,” Nicholson said.
Brunner and Nicholson each raised nearly $50,000 for their races, an extremely high amount for an RTD board contest. Brunner’s biggest financial supporters included Polis administration officials and several prominent lobbyists, while Nicholson’s included an RTD union and friends and family members.
The third candidate in the race, former bus driver Bob Dinegar, raised less than $1,000 and also conceded the race on Wednesday morning.
Nicholson said he feels an “incredible weight” to keep the promises he’s made to voters to improve RTD’s services.
“We have a transit system that needs help, that is, I don't want to say broken, but certainly feels broken a lot of the time,” he said. “We deserve better.”
Two other RTD board races are still too close to call. RTD itself notched a big win Tuesday, convincing a large majority of voters to permanently free it from revenue restrictions under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
— Nathaniel Minor
11:30 a.m.: What does Trump's victory mean for Aurora immigrants?
Colorado’s advocates for the state’s large immigrant community reacted with concern to Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. On the campaign trail, Trump said if elected he would create “Operation Aurora” to mass deport undocumented immigrants with suspected gang ties.
“I think we're feeling really somber because this race was based on attacking a community that is already really vulnerable, and it's really disheartening to see the country to see a candidate win on those attacks,” said Raquel Lane-Arellano, communications manager at the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. “There's also hope seeing that Colorado continues to stand with the immigrant community and also with the values that every family deserves to be united and free from the fear of deportation.”
In a statement, the organization said they plan to oppose Trump’s “Operation Aurora” plan and hope Colorado serves as a “firewall” against harsh immigration actions.
“We will continue to defend the Colorado laws that safeguard immigrant families from federal overreach,” the release said. “And we are prepared to organize, mobilize, and defend every member of our community to ensure Colorado continues to be a welcoming and safe place for all.”
— Sam Brasch
11:00 a.m.: Hurd leads Frisch in CO-3, but the count is ongoing
Votes are still being counted this morning in the race for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District between Republican Jeff Hurd and Democrat Adam Frisch.
In Garfield County, there are between 1,200 and 1,350 ballots left to count, according to an estimate from county clerk Jackie Harmon. An update is expected from there at noon. The Associated Press estimates that thousands of ballots also remain to be counted from Mesa and Pueblo counties.
Hurd leads in Mesa with 57.6 percent of the vote while Frisch leads in Pueblo with 51.2 percent of the vote. Hurd leads the districtwide vote 50-47 with an estimated 80 percent of the ballots counted.
— Sarah Mulholland
10:30 a.m.: AP calls Proposition 131 race, hours after ranked choice supporters conceded
Proposition 131, which would have overhauled how Coloradans nominate and elect people for political office, will not pass, according to the Associated Press. The AP officially called the race at 9:13 a.m. Wednesday with about 72 percent of ballots counted so far.
Just over 55.2 percent of voters opposed the measure as of Wednesday morning, translating to 1,313,969 votes. Supporters cast 1,066,336 votes in favor of the sweeping election reform measure. The effort's backers conceded defeat around 10 p.m. on Tuesday night.
If passed, Proposition 131 would have ended party-specific primaries and instituted ranked-choice voting for general elections. Instead of selecting just one candidate during the general, voters would rank some or all of the candidates on their ballot in order of preference. All voters' rankings would be combined in a mathematical process to determine the winner.
— Matt Moret
10:15 a.m.: Voters reject state ban on mountain lion, lynx and bobcat hunting
The Associated Press has called the race on Proposition 127, which would have banned bobcat, mountain lion and lynx hunting. As of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, the measure was losing with about 56 percent of voters, or 1,347,538 votes, opposed. That's with 72 percent of ballots counted so far.
The proposition would have imposed penalties for hunters who continue to kill big cats, including barring them from holding state hunting licenses for five years. But Coloradans would still have been allowed to kill the animals in certain circumstances, including for self-defense or for scientific research.
From 2020 to 2023, hunters harvested roughly 880 bobcats and 500 mountain lions each year, state data show.
— Ishan Thakore and Chuck Murphy
10 a.m.: Congressional District 8 race still too close to call
The match up between Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo and Republican Gabe Evans in Colorado's 8th Congressional District is ongoing and may not be decided today.
Of the 20,000 votes left to count in Weld County, between 8,500 and 9,500 could have an impact on CO-8, according to Weld County Clerk and Recorder Carly Koppes. Additional Weld County ballots are coming in from other counties as well, she said. The counting resumed this morning at 8 a.m. There should be an update on the race at around noon today.
The Associated Press estimates that 26 percent of the vote also remains to be counted in Adams County, where Caraveo leads Evans with 54.5 percent of the vote. In Weld, Evans leads with 57.6 percent of the vote.
— Sarah Mulholland
9:45 a.m.: Colorado voters approve Proposition KK, AP reports
With 73 percent of ballots counted so far, the Associated Press reports Colorado voters have approved Proposition KK. The ballot measure drew 1,326,330 votes in favor, accounting for about 52 percent of ballots counted as of 4 a.m. Wednesday.
Proposition KK imposes a 6.5 percent excise tax on gun sellers for all firearms, ammo and add-ons, like scopes. The tax will apply to firearm sellers making more than $20,000 annually. It is expected to raise roughly $39 million a year for programs supporting veterans, students and victims of crime.
The push for the new excise tax came from the legislature and followed cuts to federal Victims of Crime Act funding resulting in fewer dollars for Colorado programs supporting survivors of domestic violence and other crimes. Since 2018, VOCA funding has fallen in the state from more than $50 million to just $13 million.
— Haylee May and Matt Moret
8:30 a.m.: Donald Trump has won the presidential election
Former President Donald Trump has defeated Vice President Kamala Harris and will return to the White House, according to the Associated Press.
Trump had secured 277 electoral votes as of 7:34 a.m. Wednesday, with the AP reporting he crossed the 270 threshold in the early morning hours.
The key battleground states of Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania all voted for another Trump presidency. While the popular vote has not been fully counted yet, Trump is on course to potentially win that as well. He made significant gains among Latino and Black male voters nationwide.
Republicans also took control of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, having secured 52 seats with only six more left to be called. In the House of Representatives, there are still 57 races that haven’t been called yet, including CO-8. So far, Republicans have an edge of 198 seats versus Democrats’ 180. A total of 218 seats would constitute a majority.
Trump won despite four years of criticism over his claims that the 2020 election was rigged. He also faced attacks for his racial rhetoric and vocal defense of participants in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Trump will be the second president to serve nonconsecutive terms, and is now the first convicted felon to win the White House.
During the race, Republicans criticized Harris and the Biden administration on issues including high inflation, perceived mismanagement of the southern border and the handling of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. She also drew criticism for taking over the Biden campaign late in the election cycle in response to poor polling numbers. Some opponents described that hand-off as undemocratic.
— Matt Moret
7:30 a.m., Nov. 6, 2024:
Where things stand this morning
There are still plenty of ballots left to be processed and tabulated. Through the early morning hours, Colorado election officials had handled 2,517,989 ballots. That's close to the 2,544,508 cast in the off-year 2022 election, but nearly 800,000 fewer than the nearly 3.3 million cast in 2020.
Vote counts in many Colorado counties will resume this morning and could take several days to complete.
— Chuck Murphy
End of Nov. 5, 2024 live coverage
12:26 a.m.: Calling it a night
The CPR News newsroom is winding down — thanks for being here with us on election night. We will be back tomorrow with more updates as they come in.
As for tonight, results have slowed to a trickle and many counties won’t be done counting the ballots until Wednesday or possibly later.
A few things we know for sure:
- Lauren Boebert will represent Eastern Colorado
- Incumbents Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse and Jason Crow maintain their seats.
- Democrat Brittany Pettersen won her first re-election in Colorado’s 7th congressional district.
- The Colorado Constitution will have two updates, one enshrining abortion protections in the state and removing the language that says marriage is between “one man and one woman.”
- Colorado gave Kamala Harris 10 electoral votes.
- Rank Choice Voting did not pass
Here is a quick round-up of how all 14 of the statewide ballot measure fared in the election.
A few things we don't know yet:
There were also races that were too close to call, including the match up between Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo and Republican Gabe Evans in the 8th Congressional District, and the race in the 3rd Congressional District between Republican Jeff Hurd and Democrat Adam Frisch.
As more results roll in, we'll have stories about them on CPR.org and on the air. In the meantime, if you want to check out the results yourself, the Colorado Secretary of State tracks it all.
Time to go clean the snow off my car and head home.
— Alison Borden
12:15 a.m.: At the GOP watch party
I spent much of election night at JJ’s Place in Aurora where a number of Republican candidates and their supporters had gathered to watch election results come in.
The restaurant is owned by Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky, a central figure in the controversy over Venezuelan immigrants in the city. Upon entering, I spoke with her briefly but she politely declined to speak about tonight’s elections.
I did get a chance to talk with Steven Monahan from Greenwich Village. The issues that are important to him are cost of living and immigration. He came out to support Congressional District 6 candidate John Fabbricatore, who was unsuccessful in his bid to unseat Democratic Rep. Jason Crow.
Monahan points to the leadership of the state GOP party has done a disservice to Colorado Republicans in the lead up to tonight’s elections. He felt many used the party has a way to boost themselves individually instead of focusing on the entire party.
He voted for Trump because he sees big names coming together to make America great again.
“And quite frankly, I love the coalition. I want to see Elon Musk's, Tulsi Gabbard. I want to see those people. They're talking about the things that matter to me, getting the government out of our lives, making America healthy again is the new catch phrase. I was like government efficiency. I mean, we're whistling past the graveyard on $40 trillion in debt. I was like, I want people that recognize that and are dedicated to finding a solution and at least working towards something.”
— Tony Gorman
11:39 p.m.: Ban on mountain lion, lynx and bobcat hunting heading for defeat
For the second time in four years, Coloradans went to the polls to decide statewide wildlife strategy. But this time, it seems not to be a political winner.
On Tuesday night, Colorado voters were rejecting Proposition 127, which would have banned bobcat, mountain lion and lynx hunting in the state. As of 11 p.m., the measure was losing with 55 percent of voters opposed to 45 percent supporting.
Dan Gates, who chairs the opposition campaign against Proposition 127, was optimistic about the results Tuesday night.
Supporters of the measure did not concede Tuesday. At a watch party in Boulder, Cats Aren’t Trophies campaign manager Samantha Miller tearfully said the group had run a “thoughtful, honest and science-based campaign,” which she said ran into misinformation by the opposition.
From 2020 to 2023, hunters harvested roughly 880 bobcats and 500 mountain lions each year, state data show.
— Ishan Thakore
11:24 p.m. The Democrat watch party in Denver is over.
The mood at the Colorado Democratic Party watch party in Denver was frantic and nervous. Eyes were glued to television screens, watching as state after state, battleground after battleground, started to turn red in the presidential and U.S. Senate elections.
As the mood shifted, so did the ability of prominent Democrats to hold the audience’s attention.
“Let me do a teacher trick on you,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said. “Clap once if you can hear me. Clap twice if you can hear me. If you can hear me clap three times.”
Party hosts wrapped up the party close to 10 p.m., but groups of Democrats stayed behind at the bar to drown their sorrows.
Jennifer Ramos, a life-long Coloradan, had just ordered a drink and was deciding what she was going to do with the rest of her night. She worried that politicians were ignoring the reality of the situation.
“I think we did that in 2016 and I don’t know, I might just be a pessimist,” she said. “I don't know if we're ignoring the problem.”
— Paolo Zialcita
11:22 p.m.: Five of eight RTD board races are settled
Some Regional Transportation District board races have been unusually contentious and spendy this year. Here’s what we know about how they are turning out as of 11 p.m. Tuesday:
- District A — Chris Nicholson has declared victory, where he’s leading his opponents Kiel Brunner and Bob Dinegar with 53 percent of the vote to their 29 percent and 18 percent respectively.
“We're going to make this better. We can't just keep doing what we're doing,” he told supporters at a downtown Denver gathering Tuesday evening. “If we fail to deliver, I genuinely believe RTD could go away. The voters could decide eventually it isn't worth the money.”
Dinegar said he wasn’t ready to concede. Brunner, who has the backing of Gov. Jared Polis, has not yet responded to a request for comment.
- District D — Chris Gutschenritter was leading Barbara McManus 53 percent to 46 percent.
- District E — The AP has called this race for Matt Larsen, who is supported by Greater Denver Transit and YIMBY Denver, who was leading Scott Liva 78 percent to 22 percent.
“I want the board to be more aggressive, more ambitious, and hold management accountable for their performance,” Larsen said in an interview.
- District F — Kathleen Chandler, who’s supported by the conservative Independence Institute, is leading former bus driver Bernard Celestin 46 percent to 54 percent.
- District G — Julien Bouquet, an incumbent, won his seat after running unopposed.
- District H — Patrick O’Keefe is running unopposed. He told CPR News on Tuesday his priority will be to improve safety and reliability.
“We have to reestablish the trust that the District H has in the RTD as a viable transportation alternative,” he said.
- District I —Karen Benker is running unopposed and has made the completion of RTD’s unfinished Northwest Rail Line to Boulder and Longmont her top priority.
- District M — The AP has called this race for Brett Paglieri, who was running against write-in candidate Dick Shuster.
— Nathaniel Minor
11:18 p.m.: New veterinarian position, likely coming soon to an animal clinic near you
A ballot measure to create a new position to work in animal shelters and veterinary clinics appears to be passing, based on preliminary results Tuesday night.
As of 11 p.m. Tuesday night, Proposition 129 was winning with 52 percent supporting to 48 percent opposed. The position would be the first of its kind in the nation.
Currently, veterinary practices in Colorado are staffed by veterinarians, who have at least eight years of education, and veterinary technicians, who have a two-year associate’s degree.
The measure would create a new mid-level position between those two called a veterinary professional associate, or VPA. The position would require a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care and would be allowed to diagnose animals, perform routine surgeries, and order and perform tests and procedures under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
Under current Colorado law, only veterinarians can perform those tasks.
The measure divided veterinarians and stymied many voters when it came time to mark their ballots.
— Jenny Brundin
11:13 p.m.: Competing cannabis measures both approved in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs voters appear to approve two competing marijuana measures that will decide the fate of retail shops within city limits. It's unclear which measure will take precedent, meaning the decision could be left to lawyers.
With just over 53 percent of the votes, voters approved Ballot Issue 2D, which amends the city charter to ban retail marijuana businesses within Colorado Springs city limits. The passing of this charter amendment would change the city’s governing document — making it extremely difficult for voters (or council) to reconsider their stance on legalizing recreational marijuana sales in the future.
At the same time, also with just over 53 percent of the vote, Ballot Question 300 was also approved by Colorado Springs voters. The measure allows the approximately 90 existing medical marijuana shops in Colorado Springs to apply for a recreational marijuana license.
"That presents a really interesting legal dilemma for us," Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade told reporters at a GOP watch party Tuesday night at the Boot Barn Hall in Colorado Springs. "I'm already in conversations with my city attorney just to get some perspective but we believe in the end our city charter, which is our city constitution, will prevail."
— Molly Cruse, Dan Boyce and Stephanie Rivera
10:28 p.m. Check in with Denver elections
Get scenes from the Democrat watch party and a break-down of how the capital city voted for the presidential race compared to 2020. Visit Denverite at the 2024 General Election Live Blog.
— Alison Borden
10:12 p.m.: Voters appear to reject adding school choice to the constitution
It’s looking like Coloradans have rejected an effort to enshrine school choice in the state Constitution.
As of 10 p.m., Amendment 80 was losing, with 52 percent opposed to 47 percent in support. This measure, which would have been the first of its kind in the nation, needs 55 percent of the vote to go into the state constitution.
It would have added language stating each “K-12 child has the right to school choice” and that “parents have the right to direct the education of their children.” It explicitly named charters, private schools, home schools and “future innovations in education” as options guaranteed by the state constitution.
Opponents celebrated the amendment’s apparent defeat.
“We find it really encouraging that people understand what this ballot measure was really trying to do, which was to create a pathway for a private school voucher system,” said Kevin Vick, president of the Colorado Education Association. “And we're also really encouraged that Colorado voters really value public schools and don't want to see that happen.”
— Jenny Brundin
10:07 p.m.: Republican Jeff Crank poised to succeed Doug Lamborn in 5th Congressional District
Republican Jeff Crank, a former Colorado Springs political consultant and conservative talk radio host, has succeeded in his attempt to fill the congressional seat left by retiring Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn.
The Associated Press has not yet called the race, but Crank leads over his Democratic opponent River Gassen by 13 points. But the call for a winner will have to wait.
The likely win comes after a closely watched Republican primary race, when Crank handily won against embattled GOP state party chair Dave Williams by a two-to-one margin.
— Dan Boyce
9:57 p.m. Prop 131, ranked choice voting, goes down
Supporters of Proposition 131 have conceded defeat. The measure would have instituted open primaries and ranked choice voting. Kent Thiry, the former Davita executive, who donated millions of dollars to the campaign, said this was the first step in educating voters about a new way of electing candidates. But he admitted that the proposal may have been too complex.
“Yeah, I do think it's a lot to absorb,” said Thiry. He said that even if many voters agreed that the electoral system is broken and needs to change, there was probably a lot of caution about this particular solution. “That sort of caution, that sort of natural conservativeness, that's a good thing, that's to be admired in our voters.”
The Colorado Democratic Party released a statement, celebrating the defeat: “Colorado’s gold-standard elections are the best in the country. Proposition 131 would have sacrificed the safety and security of our election system for the whims of special interests and big corporations whose pay-to-play tactics would have flooded the state with even more dark money,” said Shad Murib, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party. “We look forward to a more thoughtful and community-driven conversation about opportunities to safeguard our democracy and reduce the influence of dark money in our politics.”
— Ben Markus
9:26 p.m. Officials say Colorado has not received any election threats
There have been a handful of bomb threats at polling places across the country, but federal law enforcement officials say haven't received any reports of threats like that in Colorado.
— Allison Sherry
9:21 p.m.: AP officially calls race for Boebert
Republican Lauren Boebert will be going back to Congress as the representative of the state’s 4th Congressional District. The Associated Press called the race at 9:18 p.m. with Boebert leading by 10 points.
— The Associated Press
9:12 p.m.: Constitutional cross out of "one man and one woman" language wins
Amendment J, which takes language out of Colorado's constitution declaring marriage only to be valid if it’s between a man and a woman, has passed.
As of 8:30 p.m., with about 2 million ballots counted, 63 percent of voters were in favor of it, and 37 had voted against it, meaning it looks likely the written expression of what constitutes a marriage will be the same at the federal level as it is at the state level.
The Associated Press called the measure a win at 8:50 p.m.
The amendment removes language from the Colorado constitution, which currently states: “Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state.”
— Elaine Tassy
9:05 p.m.: Two pro law and order initiatives are passing handily
A measure that would increase the amount of required time a person convicted of violent crimes spends in prison appeared to be handily passing 53-47 percent as of 8:54 p.m. on Tuesday.
Proposition 128 adds 10 percent more time required for convicted felons to serve behind bars for crimes of violence including murder, sex assault, aggravated robbery and serious cases of assault, such as kidnapping, arson and burglary.
Currently, those convicted of these crimes must spend 75 percent of their sentence behind bars before they are considered for parole. Under Prop 128, that changes to 85 percent.
Several criminal justice reformers opposed the measure, saying it removes flexibility and discretion from the state’s parole board and from judges. The union representing prison guards also opposed the measure, noting that they didn’t have adequate staff now, with the current 75 percent of the requirement.
This is the second law and order proposition doing well with voters on Tuesday. Another measure requires the state legislature to give law enforcement $350 million for recruitment and retention of officers. It, too, was handily passing 62-38 percent as oft 8:54 p.m.
— Allison Sherry
9:01 p.m. Boebert declares win to represent Eastern Colorado
Republican Lauren Boebert appears to be going back to Congress, this time as the representative of the state’s 4th Congressional District.
“I am honored to represent you and to be your voice In Washington, D.C.,” she told the crowd at her election watch party Tuesday night. “Your ballot that you returned was not just a piece of paper, it was a battle cry for American values.”
“Colorado’s 4th District will have a brand new (representative), who isn’t going to turn their backs on them like their last representative,” she said, taking a swipe at former GOP Rep. Ken Buck, who stepped down early.
Boebert declared victory shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday night, before the Associated Press officially called her race. She was ahead by about 10 points in the race.
If that margin doesn’t change significantly as more votes are counted, it’s a narrower victory than Buck enjoyed in his last race; he won by 25 points in 2022. The 4th district is Colorado’s most Republican congressional seat.
Boebert prevailed over Democrat Trisha Calvarese, who earned a lot of fundraising cash from Democrats eager to keep Boebert from returning to Congress. A first-time candidate, Calvarese was raised in Highlands Ranch and moved back to provide end-of-life care for her conservative Republican parents. It was her father that urged her to run for office.
— Caitlyn Kim
8:45 p.m.: AP calls congressional district race for Pettersen
The Associated Press has called the 7th Congressional District race for Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen at 8:44 p.m. This was Pettersen’s first reelection race and she was challenged by Republican businessman Sergei Matveyuk. She leads by 18 points in early returns.
This will be her second term in office representing the Front Range areas of Broomfield and Jefferson County, as well as several mountain counties from Lake to Custer.
Much of her legislative work has focused on the issue of drugs and addiction and she serves on the House Financial Services Committee. Before being elected to Congress, she served at the state house, first as a representative and then later as a state senator.
She was the only elected Colorado representative to publicly call for Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race in July.
— Caitlyn Kim
8:37 p.m. Hurd leads in tight 3rd Congressional District race
Early results in Colorado’s largest congressional district have the Republican out in front.
Republican Jeff Hurd, a Grand Junction attorney, and Democrat Adam Frisch, an Aspen businessman, are vying to replace outgoing Congressional Representative Lauren Boebert.
As of 8:30 p.m. numbers from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office showed Hurd leading by 6,766 votes with every county except for San Juan County — the state’s least populous — reporting at least some votes.
The bulk of 3rd Congressional District races are decided in Mesa County, which favors Republicans, and Pueblo County, which favors Democrats. As of 8:30 p.m., Hurd was leading 57% to 39% in Mesa County. In Pueblo County, Frisch is leading 51% to 45%.
As results began to role in, Hurd said he was “cautiously optimistic.”
“I mean, it's a little bit of nervousness, but a little bit of relief to be here finally on election day,” Hurd said at his watch party in Grand Junction. “And I don't feel like we left anything on the table that was undone, so I'm happy to be here.”
— Tom Hesse
8:32 p.m. AP: Colorado voters approve constitutional amendment enshrining abortion
Amendment 79, which adds the right to have an abortion to the state constitution and prevents state or local governments from restricting access to it, has passed
The Associated Press called the race at 8:28 p.m., with 61 percent of voters in favor of the amendment, and 39 voters against.
As an amendment to the state Constitution, this measure needed approval by 55 percent of voters instead of just 50 percent.
This means that now, the right toan abortion is codified into the state constitution and a future state legislature can not restrict it. It’s similar to the law Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed in 2022. This new amendment will also allow public employers’ health insurance to cover abortions for government employees and could allow the state to extend Medicaid coverage for the procedure.
— Elaine Tassy
8:10 p.m.: Associated Press calls it for Harris
Kamala Harris won Colorado on Tuesday, picking up the state's 10 electoral votes. Colorado was once a purple state, flipping between Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, but it has shifted blue in the past two decades. The last Republican presidential candidate to snag Colorado's electoral votes was George W. Bush in 2004.
Since then, it's backed Democratic presidential candidates, with Joe Biden winning it handily in 2020. Colorado gained its 10th electoral vote after the 2020 census, attributed to population growth around Denver. The Associated Press declared Harris the winner at 8:08 p.m.
— The Associated Press
8:06 p.m.: Voters favor giving law enforcement more money
Early vote tallies show Coloradans favor giving law enforcement agencies more money.
Proposition 130 will require state lawmakers to devote $350 million in state budget dollars to a one-time grant to help law enforcement agencies. As of 8 p.m. with 7 counties reporting, it appears to be passing with 52 percent of the vote.
The measure was backed by Advance Colorado, a conservative group, and was meant to create a dedicated fund to help state law enforcement agencies retain and recruit officers. Several police chiefs and sheriffs said they supported the measure to help bolster staffing.
Since 2020 and the national movements against police violence, law enforcement agencies have seen dramatic attrition and retirements. They say they’ve had a hard time finding enough qualified officers to fully staff up and train in this difficult environment.
The measure is a one-time chunk of money — but it’s a lot and some fiscal hawks worry it will pit law enforcement officers against other state budgetary priorities, like education.
— Allison Sherry
8:03 p.m.: Road closures mean some ballots won't get counted until tomorrow
Road closures in Routt County are preventing all ballots from being counted on Tuesday night. Ballots cast in Yampa, Oak Creek and Hayden will be picked up tomorrow from Town Clerks, according to Routt County Clerk and Recorder Jenny Thomas in an email alert.
“At this point it is not safe for us to have our judges and staff bring that equipment back,” Thomas said in the email. “The care of the ballots are going to be stored in the vaults of these town clerks. I have already spoken to them, they are going to secure it for us until we can get there in the morning.”
Routt County will not have complete election night results on Tuesday night. Races such as Routt County Commissioner will most likely not be called Tuesday night either.
— Kiara DeMare
7:59 p.m.: Awaiting results from El Paso County
At 7:50 p.m., I called the PIO of El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's office about the lack of any election results — especially because El Paso County is the state's most populous county. The spokesperson said they still have people waiting on line to vote,and will not release results until everyone who has lined up to vote by 7 p.m. has a chance to have done so. That means it could be until 8:30 p.m. or 8:45 before they release their results, the PIO told me.
— Elaine Tassy
7:51 p.m.: Neguse easily wins in 2nd Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse easily won reelection against Republican Marshall Dawson in the contest to represent Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District.This was the second time the two went up against each other.
The Associated Press called the race at 7:48 p.m. with Neguse 41 points ahead in early vote totals.
While he’s been in office for only three terms, Neguse has had more than 20 bills enacted into law. He also founded some caucuses, such as the Congressional Colorado River Caucus. He serves on the House Rules Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Natural Resources Committee, where he is the ranking member of the Federal Lands Subcommittee.
If Democrats take control of the House, Neguse’s leadership responsibilities for the caucus could move up a notch. He is currently Assistant Minority Leader of the Democratic caucus, making him the highest-ranking Coloradan in House leadership.
— Caitlyn Kim
7:44 p.m.: Race called for Crow
Democratic Rep. Jason Crow has beat back a challenge from Republican John Fabbricatore to represent the 6th Congressional District. This will be Crow’s fourth term in office.
The Associated Press called the race less than a hour after polls closed, with Crow 24 points ahead in early vote totals.
Since flipping the seat from red to blue in 2018, Crow has easily won reelection. With the recent influx of migrants to the Denver metro area, Fabbricatore, the former field office director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Denver, tried to use the issue of immigration to mount a serious challenge to Crow.
Crow, a lawyer and former Army Ranger, serves on the House Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committee. He was also selected to serve as the Ranking Member of the bipartisan task force investigating the assassination attempts against Donald Trump.
— Caitlyn Kim
7:37 p.m. First million votes counted
Vote totals are starting to trickle out in Colorado, but they're still very uneven. Statewide, the first 1.1 million votes counted give Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris a 13-point lead over Republican Donald Trump.
Those same, very preliminary, numbers show efforts to cement abortion in the state Constitution and to take a gay marriage ban out of it both ahead.
Other closely watched ballot measures are closer in these extremely preliminary returns. The effort to put school choice in the state constitution currently trails by about 5 points and a ban on big cat hunting is behind by about 9 points. The effort to move the state to all-party primaries and ranked choice voting is down 11 points in these early returns.
However, the results are highly skewed by which counties have started getting some of their votes in, and which haven't. El Paso County, Colorado's most populous county and one of its conservative bulwarks, hasn't reported any results yet, neither have some bluer counties like Jefferson, Boulder and Larimer.
— Megan Verlee
7:11 p.m. DeGette on her way to 15th term
Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette appears to have won her 15th term for Congress representing Denver. She defeated Republican Valdamar Archuleta and a handful of third party candidates.
With 185,000 votes counted at 7:10 p.m., DeGette was ahead by 57 points.
DeGette, the longest serving member of the Colorado delegation, was in no danger of losing her seat. The 1st Congressional District is Colorado’s most Democratic, per the Colorado Independent Redistricting Committee.
She is the only Coloradan on the powerful House Energy and Commerce committee and is co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus.
— Caitlyn Kim
7 p.m. The polls are closed in Colorado. Stay with us to get the results as they roll in.
6:41 p.m. In Aspen waiting on the Third Congressional District results
Third Congressional District Republicans need a strong showing in Mesa County to send Jeff Hurd to Congress. I’ll be spending the evening at their watch party at Grand Junction’s Warehouse 25Sixty-five Kitchen and Bar, where the Teriyaki lettuce wraps sell for $13 — $16, if you wish to substitute shrimp. Hurd is hoping to replace Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. He faces Democrat Adam Frisch, who will be watching the results from Aspen
General assignment reporter for Aspen Public Radio, Caroline Llanes, will be up in Aspen at the Belly Up, which is typically a concert venue in Aspen, but tonight it is where Adam Frisch, the Democratic candidate for Congressional District three, will be holding his election night watch party.
“I'll be there, I'll hopefully be talking to Adam, his family, friends, people who've shown up to support him, mostly from Aspen, but probably some folks from other parts of the Roaring Fork Valley as well.” Llanes said.
— Tom Hess and Caroline Llanes
6:39 p.m. Down to the final minutes so drop a your ballot off or get in a line!
6:26 p.m. At a GOP watch party in northern Colorado.
CPR reporter Cailtyn Kim is at congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s event, the Republican candidate for Colorado District Four. She spoke with three Trump and Boebert supporters at the event about this election, and what would happen if it doesn’t sway in their favor.
“I would hope that it would be looked into because there's already a lot of cheating going on in other states, and I would want that to be thoroughly researched this time.” Kelly Boden from Loveland said.
Donny Zwisler from Longmont said, regardless of his personal feelings, he would accept the results.
“Would I accept it? Yes. (I would) totally be disappointed if that was the outcome, but I would accept it because I'm an American.”
Becky McClain from Pierce, Co echoed this idea.
“I mean, it's a democracy. You have to accept it whether you like it or not.”
— Kiara DeMare
6:08 p.m. Big, one-time budget boost to law enforcement agencies on the ballot
A measure that forces state lawmakers to devote $350 million in state budget dollars to a one-time grant to help law enforcement agencies is at stake tonight.
Prop 130 was backed by Advance Colorado, a conservative group, and was meant to create a one-time dedicated fund to give state law enforcement agencies to help retain and recruit officers. Several police chiefs and sheriffs said they supported the measure to help with staffing.
— Allison Sherry
5:59 p.m.: Oh no! Snow!
If you waited until the last hour and some change to vote and are waiting in a line at a polling place, I hope you brought a coat. Snow is already falling across parts of the High Country and more could be coming for the mountains and lower elevations tonight and into Wednesday.
Get more of the weather forecast for election night.
— Kiara DeMare
5:45 p.m.: A 90-minute wait at one polling place in Denver
A long line formed outside a mobile voting booth in downtown Denver on Tuesday afternoon. The line was moving slow — three people left after an elections official told them it would take 90 minutes to cast their ballot.
Lesley Bartick decided to wait it out. She moved from Florida to Colorado in search of a more liberal political climate.
Bartick is “creature of habit. I love voting on Election Day. I've done it every time I've been able to vote since I've turned 18. I'm 45,” she said.
Get more Denver updates at the Denverite's 2024 General Election Live Blog.
— Paolo Zialcita
5:40 p.m.: Election 2024 — 'It's been going on for too long'
Denver voter Charles Ward said he’s looking forward to the election being over.
“I’m glad that it’s almost over. There’s been too much talk about it,” Ward said. “It’s been going on for too long. They started talking about it last election.”
— John Daley
5:14 p.m.: Prop 128 increases prison time for certain offenders
A measure that would increase the amount of required time a person convicted of violent crimes spends in prison is in the hands of voters.
Prop 128 adds 10 percent more time required for convicted felons to serve behind bars for crimes of violence including murder, sex assault, aggravated robbery and serious cases of assault, such as kidnapping, arson and burglary.
Currently, those convicted of these crimes must spend 75 percent of their sentence behind bars before they are considered for parole. Under Prop 228, that changes to 85 percent.
Several criminal justice reformers opposed the measure, saying it removes flexibility and discretion from the state’s parole board and from judges. The union representing prison guards also opposed the measure, noting that they didn’t have adequate staff now, with the current 75 percent of the requirement.
— Allison Sherry
5:04 p.m.: What some voters at East High are saying
Reporter Haylee May went to East High School where voters voiced their opinions on a litany of things, from ballot measures to the election itself.
Steven Ramirez, an unaffiliated voter said he can see a repeat of the 2020 post-election events happening.
“I think it’s OK to take time to get everything tallied and accounted for,” Ramirez said. “I don’t see any concern with that, but I think the expectation at this point is unfortunately, that there might be disputing of initial totals I guess.”
Luke Singer, a Democrat voter, said that tax increases are at the top of his mind.
“That directly affects the paychecks that we have, and I personally feel like we’re already spending a good amount of money on taxes already.”
In terms of coping with the tension of election season, Adam Rosencrans, a Democratic voter at East High, said they heard of someone spending a lot of time with man's best friends.
“We talked with someone that was like, ‘Yeah, we went to the dog park just to see a bunch of happy dogs, to avoid that kind of underlying sense of dread that a lot of us sort of feel.’”
— Haylee May
4:31 p.m.: Unaffiliated voters returning ballots close to same rate as 2020
2.77 million Coloradans — more than 68 percent of the state's active voters — had cast their ballots, as of 2 p.m. However, that's still a half million fewer people than had voted by this time on Election Day four years ago. Most of that drop off has come from registered Democrats and Republicans; unaffiliated voters are returning ballots at close to the same rate as 2020.
One trend is emerging in Election Day voting: Younger people are finally returning their ballots. Going into last weekend, 55 percent of ballots had been cast by voters 55 years old and older. As of this afternoon, those voters made up only 45 percent of returned ballots.
The state's most populous county, El Paso, has also turned in the most ballots so far, followed by Jefferson (the fourth largest), Denver (the second) and Arapahoe (the third).
Women are voting at slightly higher rates than men; they currently make up 52 percent of Colorado's electorate.
— Megan Verlee
4:23 p.m. Will Colorado elections make a drastic change?
Good evening, Ben Markus, investigative reporter here. I’ll be tracking Prop 131 — which could usher in huge changes to Colorado elections. If it passes it would do away with partisan primaries and institute ranked choice voting in the general election. Proponents are feeling better as the day has gone on.
“I am feeling cautiously optimistic. As the returns inch up closer to the 2020 level, the more optimistic I get,” said Curtis Hubbard a spokesman for the Prop 131 campaign. “We know that younger voters, who tend to vote late, are more supportive of our reforms to give them voice and choice.”
Hubbard acknowledged that it will be a close vote, thanks in part to the complexity of the measure. Even if it passes, the state legislature has put up significant hurdles to full implementation.
— Ben Markus
4:18 p.m. Less than three hours until the polls close ...
Hello! Team editor Alison Borden, reporting for live blog duty. Stick with us to get a snapshot of Election Day in Colorado, includling information on ballot items and campaigns, what some voters are saying and more.
Haven't filled out your ballot, you procrastinator, you? If you're scrambling to get your ballot done or get to a polling place, let CPR News help you out. We've got a statewide voter guide here, plus a Denverite guide here and a Southern Colorado-focused guide by KRCC here.
— Alison Borden
3:55 p.m.: Presidential race on the backburner at Democrats' party
Hi! I’m Kiara DeMare, the News Fellow at CPR. Tonight I’ll be attending the Harris/Walz watch party in Denver with Colorado Democrats. I’ll be speaking with Democrats from around the state about how they’re feeling about the election, the results trickling in from around the country and the party itself.
Even though this Harris/Walz party is for the Colorado’s Democrats, Colorado’s presidential results will likely be on the backburner, with everyone focused on the swing states. The party's hopes have gotten a bit of a boost in recent days.
A bombshell in Iowa came out this weekend, as an outlier poll there showed her head in the state 47 percent to Trump's 44 percent (important to note: that's within the poll's margin of error). Harris is expected to win Colorado’s 10 electoral votes. Colorado turned blue in 2008, and a Democrat has won the state in every presidential election since.
— Kiara DeMare
3 p.m.: Judge tosses Libertarian lawsuit over leaked voting machine password
A Denver District Court judge has denied the Libertarian Party of Colorado's request to decommission any voting machine associated with the leaked passwords and require counties to restart counting ballots by hand.
The party filed a lawsuit against the Secretary of State's office on Friday in response to the announcement that passwords to many of the state’s 2,100 pieces of election equipment were posted online.
In her decision, Judge Kandace C. Gerdes said the Secretary of State's office acted swiftly to remedy the issue by removing and changing the leaked passwords. Since the office addressed the breach appropriately, Gerdes ruled that further court intervention was unnecessary
– Molly Cruse
2:30 p.m.: Will guns be more expensive in Colorado now?
Hey there, Haylee May here. I’ll be covering Proposition KK. It’s the ballot measure that would increase taxes on gun sellers to pay for programs supporting crime victims, veterans and students. If it passes, gun sellers will incur a 6.5 percent excise tax on sales of firearms, ammunition and gun add-ons or parts. Opponents say it’s a “sin tax” that aims to discourage gun ownership. Those in favor say it’s needed to support a dwindling federal fund for crime victims because TABOR prevents state lawmakers from raising most taxes without voters’ approval.
Merchants can choose to absorb the tax or pass it on to customers, so whether prices go up or not will depend on the seller. Purchases by law enforcement and active duty military members would be exempt, as would private sales between people who aren’t licensed vendors.
The funds collected under Proposition KK would go to programs for veterans, students and victims of crime.
“It's not that the legislator doesn't have the will to support this. Because of TABOR and other limitations on the way we raise taxes in Colorado, we just have a very tight budget compared to some other states,” said Violence Free Colorado executive director Roshan Kalantar.
Those opposed, like Rocky Mountain Gun Owners member Alicia Garcia, said taxing firearms isn’t the answer.
“By proposing a tax like this on guns, you're associating [them] with things you tax heavily like cannabis, like alcohol. And by doing that, you're putting a negative shroud around gun ownership,” she said.
If Proposition KK passes, Colorado would be the first state in the nation to pass an excise tax on firearms and ammunition.
— Haylee May
2 p.m.: Colorado College welcomes voters to campus
Hello, KRCC host and reporter Kendra Carr here. People seem to be in good spirits on a sunny election morning in Colorado Springs. As I make my way to the dropbox at the Colorado Springs Administration offices, people are saying hello. Many voters seem to be in a rush, dropping off ballots during a quick lunch break.
At Colorado College, spirits are lively at a booth offering coffee and donuts. Music is playing from speakers. It’s a part of New Era Colorado, an organization focused on engaging young people in politics and civic engagement.
“Young people make up one-third of the electorate,” said Entenza. “So when we show up, we can make a change and that's what we’re trying to encourage and remind young people here.”
This is the first year that a polling center is on the campus of Colorado College.
“Last election, I had a volunteer that said they were driving students downtown, so now it's easier- there's a dropbox here too in front of Loomis. There's just so much accessibility for students now at CC,” Entenza said.
Colorado College is KRCC's licensee. Colorado College has no editorial influence.
— Kendra Carr
1:30 p.m.: Proposed veterinarian and school choice rules could shake up Colorado education
Hey Colorado, this is CPR education reporter Jenny Brundin! I’ll skip my Tuesday Zumba class this evening to cover two ballot measures. One is a very nuanced issue that has sent a lot of you to our voter guide for more information.
Proposition 129 would create a new veterinary professional associate’s position to assist vet techs and veterinarians in animal shelters and clinics.
The other is Amendment 80, whether to put the rights to school choice - including private and homeschools – into Colorado’s constitution. This one has had a flurry of mass text messages falsely implying support for the measure by Sen. John Hickenlooper, Gov. Jared Polis, and others. I’ll also be watching some of the school bond and mill levy races across the state. I’ll be checking results from the absolute chaos of my home desk (it’s not really an office.)
— Jenny Brundin
1 p.m.: Abortion rights could become part of state constitution
Hello, it’s Elaine Tassy again. In addition to the same sex marriage ballot measure, I’ll also be covering Amendment 79 today. This is the measure that would add the right to have an abortion to the state constitution and prevent state or local governments from restricting access to it. This ballot measure seems assured to pass, following other states who voted to pass similar questions since the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court — including conservative Kansas.
Read my colleague Bente Birkeland’s explanatory article about the measure here.
— Elaine Tassy
12:30 p.m.: Colorado Springs voters deciding whether to allow recreational cannabis
Hello, I’m Molly Cruse, CPR’s newest General Assignment reporter! Tonight, I’ll be wearing many hats. I will be primarily based in the Denver metro, talking to voters as they get their votes in before the polls close at 7 p.m. If you still need to cast your vote, you can drop your ballot at your local Vote Center or at a dropbox that’s in your county of residence. You can find your nearest drop boxes and voter center locations here.
After the polls close, I will head to CPR’s downtown newsroom to help our on-the-ground reporters and hosts with broadcast and production.
I will also be closely following the race of two competing ballot initiatives in Colorado Springs — a topic I have been covering for the last few weeks. The two ballot measures (Issue 300 and 2D) will decide whether Colorado Springs will allow the sale of recreational marijuana within city limits or ban it completely.
According to the Colorado Springs resident and dispensary-backed group who referred Ballot Issue 300 to the ballot, the measure “was intentionally drafted to safely regulate recreational marijuana and protect kids, while keeping valuable tax revenue within the city.”
In 2022 — the last time residents decided on recreational marijuana sales — 57 percent of voters voted no.
“I oppose recreational marijuana,” Colorado Springs Councilwoman Lynette Crow-Iverson, one of the biggest proponents of Ballot Issue 2D, said. “So I don’t want it to go anywhere.”
However, opponents of the proposed ballot measure fear that if approved, it would be a “forever ban” on the sale of recreational marijuana within Colorado Springs city limits.
— Molly Cruse
12 p.m.: How many ballots are in so far?
The latest ballot return numbers for Colorado show voting is definitely ramping up as the state races toward the 7 p.m. finish line.
More than 2.5 million Coloradans – 62 percent of active voters – had already cast their ballots by 9 a.m. this morning, and 415,000 of those ballots were returned on Monday or overnight into Tuesday.
Breaking down the total, 43 percent of the ballots have come from unaffiliated voters, 28 percent from Democrats and 26 from Republicans. Members of both parties are voting a few points ahead of their share of the electorate, while unaffiliated voters lag a bit behind, a common pattern in Colorado elections.
More ballots have come in from younger voters in the past 24 hours. People under 54 years old now make up a bit more than half the ballots cast, a change from earlier in this election.
Turnout so far is pretty close to what it was two years ago, when the most important state offices were on the ballot, but still notably lagging from this time in the last presidential election. If voting doesn't pick up significantly, the final election turnout will end up well below 2020.
(P.S.: Denver is looking lovely today!)
— Megan Verlee
11:45 a.m.: How do people vote from abroad?
Colorado has tried to make voting as easy as possible for the citizens within its borders. But for Coloradans living overseas, getting a ballot back home in time to be counted can be a bit of a challenge.
CPR News Fellow Kiara DeMare looked into what it takes to be an overseas voter and how the process works.
— Megan Verlee
11:30 a.m.: Big cat hunting measure comes on the heels of wolf reintroduction effort
Hello Coloradans, it’s Ishan Thakore, CPR’s Climate and Environment reporter here. Tonight I’m covering Proposition 127, which would ban bobcat, lynx and mountain lion hunting in Colorado. Both opponents and supporters have raised over $5 million for the effort, which makes it one of the more expensive measures on the ballot.
If results come through tonight, we’ll see whether so-called “ballot box biology” still resonates with Coloradans. In 2020, voters allowed the state to reintroduce wolves, although that’s run into complications and backlash.
— Ishan Thakore
11:15 a.m.: "Ballot irregularities" under investigation in Denver
Denver law enforcement officials are investigating reports of ballot irregularities tied to an adult day care operating in Denver.
The Denver District Attorney’s office confirmed Tuesday they have opened an investigation and the Denver Clerk and Recorder’s office said the probe could extend to other counties in the metro area.
The irregularities were discovered with a number of voter signature discrepancies, and they were all associated with a single address, the clerk’s office said.
You can find the full story here.
— Allison Sherry
11 a.m.: A brand new citizen casts her first vote as an American
At Belmar Library in Lakewood, newly-minted American Sara Haveman, 31, was voting for the first time Tuesday morning after just completing her naturalization ceremony on Monday.
Dressed in patriotic colors, Haveman proudly showed off the naturalization certificate she brought to prove her eligibility.
“This is very exciting for me,” Haveman said. “I’m feeling very patriotic today, I’m dressed up in red, white and blue.”
You can find more about this first-time voter's exciting trip to the polls, and others', here.
— Sam Brasch
10:30 a.m.: Elections can raise a lot of anxiety
Kelly Bowman, Colorado’s crisis line program manager, suggested the following for managing election stress and finding peace.
- Make a plan to vote – know when and where you plan to vote or drop off your ballot. Don’t forget to consider traffic and parking.
- Set boundaries with loved ones – discuss the issues to the extent that you’re comfortable, but don’t be afraid to establish topics that are best left alone.
- Spend time outside and incorporate movement into your day – both are great ways to decompress.
- Find a healthy distraction – whether it’s watching a comfort show, taking a walk, or engaging in a hobby, don’t feel guilty taking a break from the news.
- Make time to breathe or quiet your mind – find free meditation resources here.
- Connect with loved ones or community – whether you want to follow election updates with friends or family, or distract yourself by hitting the gym or the studio, consider surrounding yourself with others as the election unfolds.
- Lay off the vices (or, at least, approach with caution) – things like alcohol, caffeine and nicotine can exacerbate feelings of anxiety. Be gentle with yourself.
If you’re struggling, find more tips here, plus a number you can call if you need support.
— Lauren Antonoff Hart
10:15 a.m.: "I'm participating. That's the best I can do."
CPR's Sarah Mulholland spoke to some voters at a recreation center in Denver's Highlands neighborhood this morning. Alex Wood, a 30 year resident of the city, said the current political climate has had a deep personal impact on him.
"It's really polarized me. It's made me a changed person, but yeah, we'll see," Wood said. "I'm just glad we get to vote in this country. And it seems to be a fair election compared to some countries where you got to vote for [Vladimir] Putin or stay home."
Wood described himself as a progressive who wants to "see things change for the better." He voted yes on most of the measures on his ballot.
"I'm participating. That's the best I can do," he said.
Emily Lindner also stopped at the Highlands Recreation Center to drop off her ballot this morning. She said she's voting to protect her kids' future.
"Women's rights and abortion are my biggest issue. I work at Planned Parenthood. It's very important to me. I have a daughter, I have a son. Those rights as well as just general tyranny we need to avoid," she said.
Voters have until 7 p.m. to turn in their ballots or get in line to vote in person.
– Matt Moret
10 a.m.: Amendment J would keep same sex marriage legal even if SCOTUS changes its stance
Hey there CPR readers! It’s Elaine Tassy, CPR’s race, diversity and equity reporter and I’ll be covering amendment J today. This is the measure that would change the language in the state constitution about same sex marriages. Based on an amendment in 2006, the state constitution now bans same sex marriages, but the Supreme Court made them legal nationally in 2015. The purpose of the amendment is so that same sex marriages will be protected statewide if, for example, the Supreme Court changes its position on same sex marriages.
If that were to happen, the language currently in the state constitution would be in effect, meaning same sex marriages would not be legal in Colorado anymore. As a preemptive step, supporters of the measure want the language changed, while opponents say marriage was meant to be between a man and a woman and therefore think the language in the state constitution about same sex marriages being not legal in Colorado should stay as it now stands, and not be changed.
Stay tuned to CPR and check our website for regular updates on how voters are weighing in on these issues. Check out our comprehensive voter guide here to learn more about each of the many measures on this year’s ballot.
— Elaine Tassy
9:30 a.m.: Who will replace Doug Lamborn in Southern Colorado?
Happy Nov. 5th, Colorado voters! Dan Boyce here and I’m watching Colorado’s 5th Congressional District race between Republican Jeff Crank and Democrat River Gassen. The 5th on the 5th, as they say.
CO-5 has never sent a Democrat to Congress since the seat was established in the 1970s, so 25-year-old first-time candidate Gassen is the clear underdog in this race. But, who knows? The demographics of Colorado Springs are changing and last year, the city sent self-described political independent Yemi Mobolade to the mayor’s office over former Republican Secretary of State Wayne Williams.
For his part, Crank has wanted this seat for nearly two decades, running two unsuccessful primary campaigns against retiring incumbent Rep. Doug Lamborn. Notably, Crank won this year’s closely watched primary against controversial state GOP party chair Dave Williams.
I’ll be heading out to the watch parties tonight. Talk later!
— Dan Boyce
9 a.m.: The state GOP has had a busy, and messy, year
This is CPR justice reporter Tony Gorman signing on to help with Election Day. I’ll be covering the watch party for the Colorado Republican Party’s reaction to today’s results.
The Colorado Republican Party has been disarray since suffering massive losses during the 2022 midterms. The party’s in-fighting and leadership issues have made headlines over the past two years. Colorado GOP leader Dave Williams ran for U.S. House District 5 during the primaries and lost to Jeff Crank.
During the primaries, I attempted to cover the Trump-supported Williams’ watch party in Colorado Springs, but the media was denied access.
— Tony Gorman
8:30 a.m.: On the Western Slope, Republicans are trying to keep Boebert's former seat red
Hello, I'm Tom Hesse, the Western Slope Producer for Colorado Matters. I'm covering CO-3, where Republicans need a strong showing in Mesa County to send Jeff Hurd to Congress.
I’ll be spending the evening at their watch party at Grand Junction’s Warehouse 25Sixty-five Kitchen and Bar, where the Teriyaki lettuce wraps sell for $13 — $16, if you wish to substitute shrimp.
Hurd is hoping to replace Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. He faces Democrat Adam Frisch, who will be watching the results from Aspen.
— Tom Hesse
8 a.m.: What's going on with Lauren Boebert?
I’m Caitlyn Kim, CPR’s Washington D.C. Reporter. And while I’ll be keeping an eye out on all the congressional races, the one I’m watching the most tonight will be the race between GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert and Democrat Trisha Calvarese to represent the 4th Congressional District.
Boebert moved from the Western Slope to the Front Range to run for this seat, after a very close call last election for her current seat in the 3rd District and former Rep. Ken Buck’s decision to retire. It was a surprising move, but one that is likely to pay off for Boebert, given the strong Republican lean of the district.
Still, Calvarese is putting up a good fight. She’s raised a lot of money after winning the Democratic primary and has been hitting Boebert on issues, like support for veterans and not being from the district.
— Caitlyn Kim
7:30 a.m.: CO-8 is among the nation's most closely watched congressional races
I’m public affairs reporter Bente Birkeland and later tonight I’ll be at the watch party in Brighton for Republican State Rep. Gabe Evans, the GOP candidate for the 8th congressional district. He’s trying to unseat incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo in the state’s tossup district. The seat is Colorado’s most competitive race, and one of a handful in the nation that could determine which party controls the U.S. House.
Evans is finishing his first term in the state legislature, and is a former helicopter pilot in the U.S Army and spent a decade working as an Arvada police officer. He was elected to the state legislature in 2022, representing portions of Adams and Weld counties. He grew up in Aurora and in Elbert County.
Caraveo is a pediatrician and is finishing her first term in Congress. Prior to that she served in the statehouse for four years. She’s made reproductive health care and her efforts to lower healthcare costs a centerpiece of her campaign as well as economic issues. Evans has largely focused on border security and immigration and the economy.
— Bente Birkeland
4 a.m.: Happy Election Day, Colorado!
More than two million Coloradans have already cast their ballots, but if history is any guide, hundreds of thousands more will drop off ballots or vote in person today.
Polls opens at 7 a.m. today. You have until 7 p.m. to get your ballot in at a nearest vote center or drop box. Find a location near you here.
Do you have other election-related questions? Check out our FAQ and other links here.
Still need to fill out your ballot? We've got a statewide voter guide here, plus a Denverite guide here and a Southern Colorado-focused guide by KRCC here.
It's going to be a long day today but we'll be with you all through it, recapping what's at stake and checking in on scenes around Colorado. and tonight, we'll be updating as vote tabulations are reported and elections get called (or not!). As soon as polls close you can come back here for live results or check out our election dashboard.
Remember, the best way to keep up today will be to sign up for the Lookout email list, which will send alerts on the biggest news and results as the evening rolls out. Do that right here.
— Stephanie Rivera
