Republican Party primaries in Colorado, 2018

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search



Republican Party primaries, 2018
Colorado Republican Party.jpg
Primary Date
June 26, 2018
Federal elections
Republican primaries for U.S. House
State elections
Republican primaries for Colorado legislature
Republican primary for governor
Republican primary for lieutenant governor
Republican primary for attorney general
Republican primary for secretary of state
State party
Republican Party of Colorado
State political party revenue

Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on the party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.

Heading into the 2018 election, the Republican Party's legislative record during Donald Trump’s presidency figured into several Republican primaries. This record included the passage of major tax legislation in December 2017 and the confirmation of federal judges. It also included a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill in March 2018, which Trump opposed, and unsuccessful efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.[3][4]

Trump, himself, also played a role in Republican primaries. His approval rating reached 90% in June among self-described Republicans, according to a Gallup survey.[5] Many Republican candidates campaigned on their support for Trump, and negative ads accusing opponents of criticizing the president were common.[6][7][8] A May report found Trump's name or image had appeared in 37% of all Republican campaign ads at that point in 2018.[9]

This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in Colorado on June 26, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.

See also: Democratic Party primaries in Colorado, 2018


Ballot access requirements

Candidates may qualify for the primary ballot in Colorado in two ways: nomination by petition or by assembly. To be nominated by petition, candidates for the U.S. House must collect either 1,000 signatures or a number of signatures equal to 30 percent of the votes cast in the district in the most recent party primary election for the same office, whichever is less. Candidates for governor or the U.S. Senate must collect 1,500 signatures per congressional district. To be nominated by assembly, a candidate must receive 30 percent of votes cast by assembly delegates. If no candidate receives 30 percent, a second vote is taken. If no candidate receives 30 percent at the second vote, the top two vote-getters are nominated. Candidates can choose to be nominated both ways, but a candidate who attempts to be nominated by assembly and fails to receive at least 10 percent of the delegates' votes may not be nominated by petition.[10]

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.[11]

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 primaries

Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.

Federal elections

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Colorado (June 26, 2018 Republican primaries)
The 2018 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Colorado took place on November 6, 2018. Voters elected seven candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts. In 2017, the NRCC identified Colorado's 7th Congressional District as a targeted race. To see a full list of candidates in the Republican primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

District 1

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:
Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 2

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

District 3

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

District 4

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 5

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

District 6

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

District 7

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

State elections

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

Gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election

See also: Colorado gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (June 26 Republican primary)
See also: Colorado gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (June 26 Republican primary)

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:

Attorney general election

See also: Colorado Attorney General election, 2018 (June 26 Republican primary)

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

Secretary of state election

See also: Colorado Secretary of State election, 2018 (June 26 Republican primary)

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

State legislative elections

Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Colorado state legislative Republican 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 Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.

To determine the Colorado state legislative Republican primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:

  1. Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
  2. One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
  3. 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 47

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes

What made this a battleground race?

State Rep. Judy Reyher faced a primary challenge from Don Bendell. Rehyer was appointed to the seat in December. She has faced controversy due to a number of social media posts from her account that contained negative remarks about Muslims and black people.[12][13]
Colorado House of Representatives, District 47 Republican Primary, 2018
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Don Bendell 56.40% 4,352
Judy Reyher Incumbent 43.60% 3,364
Total Votes 7,716
Source: Colorado Secretary of State

House District 56

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes

What made this a battleground race?

State Rep. Philip Covarrubias faced a primary challenge from Rod Bockenfeld, who also ran against him in 2016. According to Marianne Goodland of ColoradoPolitics.com, "Bockenfeld is seen as a more traditional Republican and Covarrubias is viewed as more conservative."[12]
Colorado House of Representatives, District 56 Republican Primary, 2018
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Rod Bockenfeld 61.91% 5,732
Philip Covarrubias Incumbent 38.09% 3,526
Total Votes 9,258
Source: Colorado Secretary of State


Senate battleground races

Senate District 7

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes

What made this a battleground race?

State Sen. Ray Scott faced a primary challenge from state Rep. Dan Thurlow. According to Marianne Goodland of ColoradoPolitics.com, Thurlow was a centrist state House member who voted to reauthorize the state civil rights division and commission, while Scott was more conservative and focused on energy policy.[12]
Colorado State Senate, District 7 Republican Primary, 2018
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Ray Scott Incumbent 64.07% 14,361
Daniel Thurlow 35.93% 8,054
Total Votes 22,415
Source: Colorado Secretary of State


State party overview

See also: Republican Party of Colorado
Colorado Republican Party.jpg


State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Republican Party of Colorado's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.

Republican Party of Colorado revenue, 2011 to 2016[14][15]
Year Federal account State account(s) Total
2011 $715,801.01 $36,231.00 $752,032.01
2012 $9,678,748.90 $433,072.39 $10,111,821.29
2013 $643,852.83 $67,208.61 $711,061.44
2014 $7,159,272.92 $668,034.87 $7,827,307.79
2015 $1,238,597.54 $39,099.78 $1,277,697.32
2016 $3,571,885.41 $488,215.16 $4,060,100.57

Colorado compared to other states

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:

Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016

Primary election scheduling

Colorado was one of five states to hold a primary election on June 26, 2018.

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."[16][17]

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.[18][19]

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.[20]

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.[20][21][22]

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.[21]

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

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.[23] 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:
  • A valid Colorado driver’s license or valid identification card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue. (Note: documents issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S. are not acceptable forms of identification.)
  • A valid U.S. passport.
  • A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government or of Colorado, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of Colorado.
  • A valid pilot’s license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the U.S.
  • A valid U.S. military identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector.
  • A copy of a current (within the last 60 days) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector.
  • A Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaskan Native Blood.
  • A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
  • A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate for the elector.
  • Certified documentation of naturalization.
  • A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an institute of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102(5), C.R.S..
  • A valid veteran identification card issued by the U.S. department of veterans affairs veterans health administration with a photograph of the eligible elector.
  • A valid identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government certifying tribal membership.

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:

  • Verification that a voter is a resident of a group residential facility, as defined in section 1-1-104(18.5), C.R.S.
  • Verification that a voter is a person committed to the department of human services and confined and eligible to register and vote shall be considered sufficient identification of such person for the purposes of section 1-2-210.5, C.R.S.
  • Written correspondence from the county sheriff or his or her designee to the county clerk indicating that a voter is confined in a county jail or detention facility.[24][25]
 ”
  • 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:[26]

  • 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.

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Four of 64 Colorado counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Conejos County, Colorado 3.56% 9.22% 12.93%
Huerfano County, Colorado 6.61% 8.27% 11.23%
Las Animas County, Colorado 15.60% 2.65% 7.04%
Pueblo County, Colorado 0.50% 13.99% 14.97%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Colorado with 48.2 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 43.3 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Colorado voted Republican 63.3 percent of the time and Democratic 36.7 percent of the time. Colorado voted Republican in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, but voted Democratic in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 elections.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Colorado. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[27][28]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 37 out of 65 state House districts in Colorado with an average margin of victory of 27.3 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 40 out of 65 state House districts in Colorado with an average margin of victory of 24.8 points. Clinton won four districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 28 out of 65 state House districts in Colorado with an average margin of victory of 21.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 25 out of 65 state House districts in Colorado with an average margin of victory of 25.8 points. Trump won one district controlled by a Democrat heading into the 2018 elections.

See also

Federal primaries in Colorado State primaries in Colorado Colorado state party apparatus Colorado voter information
CongressLogo.png
Flag of Colorado.png
Seal of Colorado.png
Election Policy Logo.png

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Same-day registration was available for those voting in person at Voter Service and Polling Centers,
  2. ↑ Same-day registration was available for those voting in person at Voter Service and Polling Centers,
  3. ↑ ‘’National Review’’, “Trump Is Not Blameless in the Spending-Bill Disaster,” March 28, 2018
  4. ↑ The New York Times, "A New Guide to the Republican Herd," August 26, 2012
  5. ↑ Gallup, "Trump Job Approval Slips Back to 41%," June 25, 2018
  6. ↑ Daily Commercial, "Trump hurdle looms large in Florida GOP governor primary," July 30, 2018
  7. ↑ Daily Commercial, "These 2018 Primaries Are Worth Watching," July 25, 2018
  8. ↑ Washington Post, "Republican primary candidates have one goal: Securing Trump’s endorsement or denying it to an opponent," July 25, 2018
  9. ↑ USA Today, "Donald Trump once divided Republicans; ads for midterms signal that's no longer true," May 17, 2018
  10. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "How to Run for Office: Candidate Information Guide," accessed January 29, 2014
  11. ↑ 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
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 The Gazette, " PRIMARY PREVIEW: 5 Republican races to watch for the Colo. legislature," June 11, 2018
  13. ↑ Colorado Times Recorder, "Newly appointed state lawmaker Judy Reyher has history of racist Facebook posts," November 29, 2017
  14. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Colorado Republican Committee and Colorado Democratic Party)
  15. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Colorado Republican Committee and Colorado Democratic Party)
  16. ↑ LexisNexis, "Colorado Revised Statutes § 1-7-201," accessed August 6, 2025
  17. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Primary Elections FAQs," accessed August 6, 2025
  18. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Mail-in Ballots FAQs," accessed August 6, 2025
  19. ↑ LexisNexis, "Colorado Revised Statutes, § 1-7-101," accessed August 6, 2025
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Voter Registration FAQs," accessed August 6, 2025
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Colorado Voter Registration Form," accessed August 6, 2025
  22. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Go Vote Colorado," accessed August 6, 2025
  23. ↑ 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."
  24. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Acceptable Forms of Identification," accessed August 6, 2025
  25. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  26. ↑ This information came directly from the Colorado Secretary of State's office via email on September 13, 2016.
  27. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  28. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
v • e
Party primaries by state, 2018
Republican primaries, 2018
Democratic primaries, 2018
Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Republican_Party_primaries_in_Colorado,_2018&oldid=7893341"