A look at how unaffiliated voters are voting in Colorado's primary

Colorado’s Unaffiliated Voters and the June Primary

Colorado’s roughly two million unaffiliated voters may choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot in the June primary, but not both.

Several unaffiliated voters interviewed said they were leaning toward the Democratic ballot because Democrats have recently dominated statewide elections. They viewed the Democratic primary as a more consequential opportunity to influence which candidates advance. Others said their choice depends on the races available locally: in some counties, the Republican ballot has few or no contested contests, while the Democratic ballot offers more options.

How Voters Make Their Choice

Voters emphasized researching candidates rather than voting by party. Some said they would choose a ballot based on which candidates they want to see win in November; others said they decide anew each election.

Lafayette councilman Kyle Hollier, who briefly registered as a Democrat to participate in the caucus process, argued for open primaries and ranked-choice voting. He said the current system does not serve Coloradans well.

Discussion

The report’s journalist and an anchor also discussed the value of unaffiliated voters participating in primaries, where they may have more influence over candidate selection than in November’s general election.

Presenters and Contributors

• Marshall Zelinger (reporter)
• Kyle Clark (anchor)
• John Caldera
• Cole Wirth
• Jenny (Routt County clerk; surname not given)
• Kyle Hollier
• Tiffany Lee