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Colorado State Senate elections

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This page displays election information for the Colorado State Senate.

Elections

Colorado state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Colorado holds elections for its legislature in even years.

2026

See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2026

Elections for the Colorado State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026. The primary is June 30, 2026. The filing deadline is March 18, 2026.

2024

See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2024

Elections for the Colorado State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was June 25, 2024. The filing deadline was March 19, 2024.

In the 2024 elections, Democrats did not lose any seats, preserving their 23-11 majority with one vacancy. In December 2024, Senator Kevin Van Winkle (R) resigned from the chamber.

Colorado State Senate
Party As of November 5, 2024 After November 6, 2024
     Democratic Party 23 23
     Republican Party 12 12
Total 35 35

2022

See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2022

Elections for the Colorado State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 28, 2022. The filing deadline was March 15, 2022.

The Democratic Party expanded its majority by two seats in the 2022 general election, from 21-14 to 23-12.

Colorado State Senate
Party As of November 8, 2022 After November 9, 2022
     Democratic Party 21 23
     Republican Party 14 12
Total 35 35

2020

See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2020

Elections for the office of Colorado State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 30, 2020. The filing deadline was March 17, 2020. Heading into the 2020 general election, there were 19 Democrats and 16 Republicans in the chamber.

In the 2020 elections, Democrats increased their majority in the Colorado State Senate from 19-16 to 20-15.

Colorado State Senate
Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
     Democratic Party 19 20
     Republican Party 16 15
Total 35 35

2018

See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2018

Elections for the Colorado State Senate took place in 2018. An open primary election took place on June 26, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 20, 2018, for major party candidates and April 2, 2018, for minor party candidates. There was a July 12, 2018, deadline for unaffiliated candidates.[1]

In the 2018 elections, Democrats gained a majority in the Colorado State Senate.

Colorado State Senate
Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
     Democratic Party 16 19
     Republican Party 18 16
     Independent 1 0
Total 35 35

2016

See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Colorado State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 28, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 4, 2016.[2] A total of 18 seats out of the 35 seats in the Colorado State Senate were up for election in 2016.

The Colorado State Senate was one of 20 battleground chambers in 2016. Heading into the election, Republicans held an 18-17 majority. No changes occurred to the partisan balance of the chamber.

Colorado State Senate
Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
     Democratic Party 17 17
     Republican Party 18 18
Total 35 35


Historical party control

Democrats won control of the Colorado State Senate in 2018. In 2024, they won a 23-12 majority.

The table below shows the partisan history of the Colorado Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

Colorado State Senate election results: 1992-2024

Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18 '20 '22 '24
Democrats 16 16 15 14 18 17 18 20 21 20 19 17 17 19 20 23 23
Republicans 19 19 20 21 17 18 17 15 14 15 16 18 18 16 15 12 12

Before 1992

Between 1900 and 2022, the chamber changed partisan hands 14 times.


Trifecta history

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, Colorado was under the following types of trifecta control:

  • Democratic trifecta: 2007-2010, 2013-2014, 2019-2023
  • Republican trifecta: 1999-2000, 2003-2004
  • Divided government: 1992-1998, 2001-2002, 2005-2006, 2011-2012, 2015-2018

Colorado Party Control: 1992-2025
Thirteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Senate R R R R R R R R R D D R R D D D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D
House R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "2018 Colorado Election Calendar," accessed September 5, 2017
  2. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Elections & Voting," accessed October 6, 2015
  3. ↑ Follow the Money, "2010 Colorado candidates," accessed April 23, 2015
  4. ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 Colorado candidates," accessed April 23, 2015
  5. ↑ Follow the Money, "2006 Colorado candidates," accessed April 23, 2015
  6. ↑ Follow the Money, "2004 Colorado candidates," accessed April 23, 2015
  7. ↑ Follow the Money, "2002 Colorado candidates," accessed April 23, 2015
  8. ↑ Follow the Money, "2000 Colorado candidates," accessed April 23, 2015
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