Welcome to the Monday, October 10, Brew.
By: Samuel Wonacott
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- The voter participation deadlines you need to know this week
- Catch up on recall elections quick with the latest episode of On the Ballot, our weekly podcast
- Colorado state legislative elections set to feature the second-highest rate of major party competition in the nation
The voter participation deadlines you need to know this week
Election Day is 30 days away—and there’s a lot to keep track of over the next few weeks. It’d be one thing if Election Day was the only date you had to know, but there are also voter registration deadlines, absentee/mail-in ballot request and return deadlines, early voting periods, poll hours, and so on.
But that’s why we’re here! Below, you’ll find a list of major voter participation deadlines that will take place Oct. 9-15.
Early voting begins: Seven states and two territories begin early voting this week:
- Oct. 10: California, Guam, Virgin Islands.
- Oct. 11: Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico.
- Oct. 12: Arizona, Indiana, Ohio.
Click here to learn more about early voting in your state.
Voter registration deadlines (online): In 15 states, the deadline for voters to register online is:
- Oct. 9: Alaska, Rhode Island, South Carolina.
- Oct. 11: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, New Mexico, Ohio, Tennessee.
- Oct. 12: Missouri.
- Oct. 14: Idaho, New York, North Carolina.
Voter registration deadlines (by mail): In 23 states and one territory, the deadline for voters to register by mail is:
- Oct. 9: Alaska, Rhode Island.
- Oct. 10: Arkansas, Mississippi.
- Oct. 11: American Samoa, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas.
- Oct. 12: Missouri.
- Oct. 14: Idaho, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma.
Click here to learn more about voter registration deadlines in your state.
Remember: You can check out our 2022 Election Help Desk for answers to the most frequently asked questions about voting, election results reporting, and post-election issues.
Catch up on recall elections quick with the latest episode of On the Ballot, our weekly podcast
On the latest episode of On the Ballot, our weekly podcast, host Victoria Rose talks with staff writers Abbey Smith and Doug Kronaizl about all things recall elections. The three of them look back at the biggest recall stories this year and talk about what’s happened on the recall front since we released our Mid-Year Recall Report in June. Among other things, they discuss the recalls this year targeting 349 officials (so far!) and the category of official—city council member, school board member, etc.—voters are most likely to target for recall.
Finally, Victoria, Abbey, and Doug look at what we can expect in this Fall’s recall elections and talk about noteworthy recalls in Missouri, Colorado, Texas, California, and Michigan.
Use the link below to subscribe and listen to our most recent episode, as well as past ones you might have missed. Past episodes have covered what’s at stake in state legislative and statewide officer elections, abortion on the ballot, Biden’s federal judicial nominations, and a lot more.
Colorado state legislative elections set to feature the second-highest rate of major party competition across the nation in 2022
Today is the 30th day of our 50 States in 50 days series, and we’re featuring Colorado, the Centennial State.
Week One: Pennsylvania, Indiana, South Dakota, Nebraska, North Dakota
Week Two: California, Georgia, Texas, Montana
Week Three: North Carolina, Virginia, New Mexico, Illinois, Idaho
Week Four: Kentucky, Michigan, Arkansas, Minnesota, West Virginia
Week Five: Vermont, Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona, Ohio
Week Six: South Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, Oregon, Tennessee
Explore Colorado elections
One U.S. Senate seat is up for election in Colorado this cycle. Incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet (D) is running for re-election against Joe O’Dea (R) and seven other candidates.
Eight U.S. House seats are up for election in November. Two races are open with no incumbent running, three districts have Democratic incumbents running for re-election, and three districts have Republican incumbents running re-election.
Voters will have several state executive elections on their ballot this year, including elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and treasurer. Four of the 9 seats on the Colorado State Board of Education and 4 of the 9 seats on the Colorado State Board of Regents will also be up for election this year.
Both chambers of the Colorado Legislature are holding elections this year. Seventeen of the 35 seats in the Colorado Senate and all 65 seats in the Colorado House of Representatives are on the ballot.
Redistricting highlights
Colorado gained one congressional district after the 2020 census, going from 7 in 2020 to 8 this year.
Congressional and state legislative elections will take place under new district lines following the census. Our side-by-side map comparison tool allows you to immediately see what redistricting looks like in your state. Here are the congressional maps in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle in Colorado:
To use our tool to view Colorado’s state legislative maps in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle, visit our Colorado redistricting page.
Partisan balance
- Both of Colorado’s U.S. Senators are Democrats. Four members of Colorado’s current delegation to the U.S. House are Democrats, and three are Republicans.
- Both chambers of the Colorado Legislature have Democratic majorities. The Colorado Senate has a 21-14 Democratic majority, and the Colorado House of Representatives has a 41-24 Democratic majority.
- Colorado has a Democratic trifecta, meaning Democrats control both chambers of the state legislature and the governorship. Colorado gained a Democratic trifecta in 2019, after the state Senate changed partisan control from Republican to Democratic.
- In addition to the governor, Colorado’s attorney general and secretary of state are Democrats, meaning the state has a Democratic triplex.
Seats contested by only one major party
In 2022, five state legislative seats in Colorado, or 6% of all seats up for election, do not have major party competition. When a candidate from only one of either the Democratic or Republican parties runs for a state legislative seat, that party is all but guaranteed to win.
Democrats are running in 96% of all state legislative races. Three state legislative seats (4% of all state legislative seats) do not have a Democratic candidate and a Republican is likely to win.
Republicans are running in 98% of all state legislative races. Two seats (2% of all state legislative seats) do not have a Republican candidate and a Democrat is likely to win.
Key races
- Colorado’s 8th Congressional District election: This is one of seven new congressional districts created after the 2020 census and the first new congressional district in Colorado since 2001. Yadira Caraveo (D), Barbara Kirkmeyer (R), and two others are running
- Colorado Treasurer election: Incumbent Dave Young (D) is running against Lang Sias (R) and Anthony Delgado (L). In 2018, the last time elections were held for this office, Young changed the office from Republican to Democratic, defeating Brian Watson (R) 52% to 45%.
- Colorado Attorney General and Secretary of State elections: Both of these offices changed from Republican to Democratic control in 2018. In the 2022 election for attorney general, incumbent Phil Weiser (D) is facing John Kellner (R) and two others. In this year’s race for secretary of state, incumbent Jena Griswold (D) is facing Pam Anderson (R) and four others.
- Colorado Senate elections: The Colorado Senate was among 28 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2022 cycle. If the Republican Party wins control it would break the Democratic Party’s trifecta. Republicans need to gain four or more seats to take control of the chamber.
Ballot measures
Colorado voters will decide 11 statewide measures on Nov. 8. Noteworthy measures include:
- Colorado Proposition GG, Include Income Tax Effects in Initiative Ballot Language Measure: This measure would require ballot titles and fiscal impact summaries for initiatives that increase or decrease the individual income tax rate to include a table showing the potential tax changes for those in different income categories under the proposed initiative.
- Colorado Proposition 122, Decriminalization and Regulated Access Program for Certain Psychedelic Plants and Fungi Initiative: This measure would decriminalize the personal use and possession (for adults age 21 and older) of several hallucinogenic/entheogenic plants and fungi, which are currently classified as Schedule I controlled substances under state law.
Between 1985 and 2021, 189 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots in Colorado. Eighty-six ballot measures were approved, and 103 ballot measures were defeated.
Voting
- On Election Day, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. An individual in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.
- Colorado requires voters to present identification when voting in person. Accepted forms of ID include a Colorado driver’s license, a U.S. passport, a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector, among others. For a full list of accepted voter IDs in Colorado, click here.
- Early voting is available to all voters. It begins on Oct. 24 and ends on Nov. 7.
- The in-person voter registration deadline is Nov. 8, meaning Colorado allows same-day voter registration when voting in-person. The deadline to register online or by mail is Oct. 31.
- Colorado election officials automatically distribute mail-in ballots to active electors starting 18 to 22 days before an election. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot in-person, online, and by mail is Oct. 31. Requests by mail must be received by that date. The in-person and by mail return deadline is Nov. 8. Ballots returned by mail must be received by that date. To check the status of your ballot, click here.
Want to learn more about the elections you’ll be voting in this year? Click here to use our Sample Ballot Lookup tool!