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Colorado state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 29[2]
- Early voting: Mail ballots available Oct. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID required for in-person voting
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| 2018 Colorado State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | June 26, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
Democratic Party factions fought to replace two state Senate incumbents and three state House incumbents, most of whom were term-limited and held safe seats in the Denver area.
Emily Sirota, a member of the Bernie Sanders wing of the party, defeated Ashley Wheeland, who was backed by the state party establishment, in the race to replace Paul Rosenthal in House District 9. Rosenthal attempted to run for reelection, but after he faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct in late 2017, he did not receive enough support at the District assembly to make the ballot.
Other competitive primaries included those in House Districts 4 and 5 and Senate Districts 32 and 34. Unlike the Sirota vs. Wheeland race, candidates backed by state Democratic leaders, particularly outgoing House Speaker Crisanta Duran, won in these races. Read more below.
The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the Colorado State Senate and Colorado House of Representatives were on June 26, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Colorado, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 20, 2018. In the state Senate, 17 of 35 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 65 seats were up for election.
As of June 2018, Colorado was one of 16 states under divided government and not one of the 34 states under a state government trifecta. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.
Unaffiliated voters in Colorado primaries
The June 26, 2018, primaries were the first chance that Colorado voters unaffiliated with either major party had to participate in partisan primaries. The state's 1.1 million unaffiliated voters received mail-in ballots from their county clerks and were not able to opt out of receiving a ballot. If a voter did not request a ballot from one party, she or he received ballots for both parties. Voters could only complete a ballot for one party's primary. If the voter completed both party ballots, the ballots were invalidated.
County officials recommended that voters mail their ballots in by June 16. If voters chose to drop their ballots off at their county election offices, they had until 7:00 PM MT on June 26.[3]
This change in the voting system came from Proposition 108, a 2016 initiated state statute approved by 53.3 percent of voters. Prior to the passage of Proposition 108, Colorado utilized a closed primary system where only voters registered with a political party could participate. Unaffiliated voters were able to affiliate with one of the parties on election day if they chose.
Battleground races
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Colorado state legislative Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Democratic caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Colorado state legislative Democratic primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
House battleground races
House District 4
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Term-limited |
What made this a battleground race?
| Three Democrats filed to replace Daniel Pabon in this safe Democratic seat. Amy Beatie was supported by state Reps. Jeni Arndt and Chris Hansen. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez was supported by outgoing House speaker Crisanta Duran, state Sen. Dominick Moreno, state Rep. Leslie Herod, and state Sen. Angela Williams.[4] |
| Colorado House of Representatives, District 4 Democratic Primary, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez |
58.23% | 7,706 |
| Amy Beatie | 32.84% | 4,346 |
| Ed Britt | 8.93% | 1,182 |
| Total Votes | 13,234 | |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State | ||
House District 5
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Term-limited |
What made this a battleground race?
| Four Democrats filed to replace outgoing House Speaker Crisanta Duran in this safe Democratic seat. Duran supported Alex Valdez in the primary. He was also backed by Paul Rosenthal, state Rep. Leslie Herod, and a number of other Democratic officials. Energy activist Meghan Nutting was Valdez's top rival in fundraising until former state Rep. Joel Judd and political activist Nicky Yollick began to self-fund their campaigns in the weeks before the election.[4] |
| Colorado House of Representatives, District 5 Democratic Primary, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Alex Valdez |
42.03% | 4,666 |
| Meghan Nutting | 29.23% | 3,245 |
| Joel Judd | 16.61% | 1,844 |
| Nicky Yollick | 12.13% | 1,347 |
| Total Votes | 11,102 | |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State | ||
House District 9
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Did not make ballot |
What made this a battleground race?
| The Denver Post reported that two primary challengers to incumbent Paul Rosenthal (D) emerged after he was accused of sexual misconduct in late 2017. The challengers were Emily Sirota and Ashley Wheeland. The allegations against Rosenthal were brought by party activist Thomas Cavaness, who said that Rosenthal inappropriately touched him in 2012. A complaint by Cavaness was dismissed by House Speaker Crisanta Duran (D) because the alleged incident occurred before Rosenthal was in office.[5] Rosenthal did not qualify for the Democratic primary ballot in the 2018 elections. At the Democratic assembly for Colorado House District 9 on April 7, 2018, he received 24.7 percent of the votes cast by party delegates. He needed 30 percent to make the ballot. Ashley Wheeland received 39.5 percent and Emily Sirota received 35.8 percent.[6] |
| Colorado House of Representatives, District 9 Democratic Primary, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Emily Sirota |
55.33% | 7,444 |
| Ashley Wheeland | 44.67% | 6,011 |
| Total Votes | 13,455 | |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State | ||
Senate battleground races
Senate District 32
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Term-limited |
What made this a battleground race?
| Three Democrats filed to replace state Sen. Irene Aguilar in this safe Democratic seat. Aguilar and outgoing House Speaker Crisanta Duran supported Robert Rodriguez in the primary. Rodriguez and Zach Neumann both raised over $130,000 in the race. Hazel Gibson was supported by House Majority Leader KC Becker (D).[4] |
| Colorado State Senate, District 32 Democratic Primary, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Robert Rodriguez |
39.82% | 10,636 |
| Zach Neumann | 32.26% | 8,616 |
| Hazel Gibson | 27.92% | 7,458 |
| Total Votes | 26,710 | |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State | ||
Senate District 34
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Term-limited |
What made this a battleground race?
| Three Democrats filed to replace state Senate Minority Leader Lucia Guzman. Julie Gonzales was supported by a number of Democratic officials, including state Sen. Irene Aguilar and state Reps. Leslie Herod and Faith Winter.[4] |
| Colorado State Senate, District 34 Democratic Primary, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Julie Gonzales |
63.80% | 14,798 |
| Milo Schwab | 19.72% | 4,574 |
| Alan Kennedy-Shaffer | 16.47% | 3,821 |
| Total Votes | 23,193 | |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State | ||
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Four Democratic state Senate incumbents and one independent who caucused with Democrats did not seek re-election.
- Michael Merrifield (District 11)
- Cheri Jahn (District 20)[8]
- Andrew Kerr (District 22)
- Irene Aguilar (District 32)
- Lucia Guzman (District 34)
Eleven Democratic state House incumbents did not seek re-election.
- Dan Pabon (District 4)
- Crisanta Duran (District 5)
- Paul Rosenthal (District 9)[9]
- Mike Foote (District 12)
- Pete Lee (District 18)
- Jessie Danielson (District 24)
- Brittany Pettersen (District 28)
- Joseph Salazar (District 31)
- Faith Winter (District 35)
- Dave Young (District 50)
- Millie Hamner (District 61)
Incumbents defeated
No incumbents were defeated in 2018.
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Colorado House of Representatives and Colorado State Senate as of June 2018:
Colorado House of Representatives
| Party | As of June 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 36 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 65 | |
Colorado State Senate
| Party | As of June 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 16 | |
| Republican Party | 18 | |
| Independent | 1 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 35 | |
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election.
Colorado utilizes a semi-closed primary system. According to Section 1-7-201 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, "An eligible unaffiliated elector, including a preregistrant who is eligible under section 1-2-101 (2)(c), is entitled to vote in the primary election of a major political party without affiliating with that political party."[10][11]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In Colorado, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time for those who choose to vote in person rather than by mail. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[12][13]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
In Colorado, an individual can pre-register to vote if they are at least 15 years old. Voters must be at least 18 years old to vote in any election. A voter must be a citizen of the United States and have established residence in Colorado to vote.[14]
Colorado voters can register to vote through Election Day. However, in order to automatically receive a absentee/mail-in ballot, a voter must register online, through the mail, at a voter registration agency, or driver's license examination facility at least eight days prior to Election Day. A voter that registers through a voter registration drive must submit their application no later than 22 days before the election to automatically receive an absentee/mail-in ballot. A voter can register online or submit a form in person or by fax, email, or mail.[14][15][16]
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Colorado automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles and certain other state agencies.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Colorado has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Colorado allows same-day voter registration for individuals who vote in person.
Residency requirements
Colorado law requires 22 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.[15]
Verification of citizenship
Colorado does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[17] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The site Go Vote Colorado, run by the Colorado Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Colorado requires voters to present non-photo identification when voting in person. If voting by mail for the first, a voter may also need to return a photocopy of his or her identification with their mail-in ballot. Click here for more information.
The following list of accepted forms of identification was current as of October 2025. Click here for the most current information, sourced directly from the Office of the Colorado Secretary of State.
| “ | The following documents are acceptable forms of identification:
Any form of identification listed above that shows your address must show a Colorado address to qualify as an acceptable form of identification. The following documents are also considered acceptable forms of identification for voting:
|
” |
- Note: SB 1, signed into law on May 12, 2025, specified that tribal IDs issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service, or another federal agency were also valid identification.
Early and absentee voting
Colorado conducts what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections. In Colorado, voting is conducted primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. Election officials automatically distribute mail-in ballots to active electors starting 18 to 22 days before an election. Colorado law requires county clerks to operate polling locations (Voter Service and Polling Centers, or VSPCs) starting 15 days before an election and continuing through Election Day, excluding Sundays. At these locations, eligible voters can do any of the following:[20]
- void their mail-in ballots to vote in person,
- register to vote,
- update existing voter registration records,
- obtain mail-in ballots, or
- vote in person via paper ballots or accessible voting devices.
See also
- Colorado state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- Colorado House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Colorado State Senate elections, 2018
- Colorado State Legislature
- Colorado elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Same-day registration was available for those voting in person at Voter Service and Polling Centers,
- ↑ Same-day registration was available for those voting in person at Voter Service and Polling Centers,
- ↑ Denver Post, "Colorado’s 1 million-plus unaffiliated voters can participate for the first time in a primary election. Here’s what they need to know," June 2, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The Gazette, " PRIMARY PREVIEW: 5 Democratic races to watch for the Colo. legislature," June 11, 2018
- ↑ Denver Post, "Sexual harassment allegations prompt rare primary challenges to Denver Democratic lawmaker," January 26, 2018
- ↑ Denver Post, "Colorado lawmaker Paul Rosenthal loses re-election bid after accusations of sexual harassment," April 7, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Politics, "Bernie Sanders endorses Democrat Emily Sirota in primary challenge against Paul Rosenthal," February 1, 2018
- ↑ Jahn was elected as a Democrat but became an independent in January 2018 and caucused with Democrats.
- ↑ Rosenthal did not qualify for the primary ballot because he did not receive enough support from Democratic delegates in his district.
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Colorado Revised Statutes § 1-7-201," accessed October 20, 2025
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Primary Elections FAQs," accessed October 20, 2025
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Mail-in Ballots FAQs," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Colorado Revised Statutes, § 1-7-101," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Voter Registration FAQs," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Colorado Voter Registration Form," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Go Vote Colorado," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Acceptable Forms of Identification," accessed August 6, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ This information came directly from the Colorado Secretary of State's office via email on September 13, 2016.
