Colorado Secretary of State election, 2022
← 2018
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Colorado Secretary of State |
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Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: March 15, 2022 |
Primary: June 28, 2022 General: November 8, 2022 Pre-election incumbent(s): Jena Griswold (Democratic) |
How to vote |
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Colorado |
Ballotpedia analysis |
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2022 Impact of term limits in 2022 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022 |
Colorado executive elections |
Governor Lieutenant Governor |
Colorado held an election for secretary of state on November 8, 2022. The primary was scheduled for June 28, 2022. The filing deadline was March 15, 2022. This was one of 27 elections for secretary of state taking place in 2022. Click here for an overview of these races. All but three states have a secretary of state. Although the specific duties and powers of the office vary from state to state, secretaries of state are often responsible for the maintenance of voter rolls and for administering elections. Other common responsibilities include registering businesses, maintaining state records, and certifying official documents. At the time of the 2022 elections, there were 27 Republican secretaries of state and 20 Democratic secretaries of state.
A state government triplex refers to a situation where the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state are all members of the same political party. Heading into the 2022 elections, there were 23 Republican triplexes, 18 Democratic triplexes, and nine divided governments where neither party held triplex control.
Incumbent Jena Griswold won election in the general election for Colorado Secretary of State.
For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:
- Colorado Secretary of State election, 2022 (June 28 Democratic primary)
- Colorado Secretary of State election, 2022 (June 28 Republican primary)
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Colorado Secretary of State
The following candidates ran in the general election for Colorado Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jena Griswold (D) | 55.1 | 1,369,040 | |
Pam Anderson (R) | 42.1 | 1,045,482 | ||
Bennett Rutledge (L) | 1.5 | 36,485 | ||
Amanda Campbell (American Constitution Party) | 0.7 | 17,602 | ||
Gary Swing (Unity Party) | 0.5 | 11,458 | ||
Jan Kok (Approval Voting Party) | 0.2 | 4,591 |
Total votes: 2,484,658 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jeff Orrok (Approval Voting Party)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State
Incumbent Jena Griswold advanced from the Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jena Griswold | 100.0 | 510,462 |
Total votes: 510,462 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State
Pam Anderson defeated Tina Peters and Mike O'Donnell in the Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Pam Anderson | 43.1 | 268,638 | |
Tina Peters | 28.9 | 180,059 | ||
Mike O'Donnell | 28.1 | 175,158 |
Total votes: 623,855 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- David Winney (R)
Approval Voting Party convention
Approval Voting Party convention for Colorado Secretary of State
Jeff Orrok advanced from the Approval Voting Party convention for Colorado Secretary of State on March 26, 2022.
Candidate | ||
✔ | Jeff Orrok (Approval Voting Party) |
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Colorado
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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|Bennett Rutledge (L)
I reaffirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of Colorado against all enemies, and to uphold the laws thereof.
That there will not be, on my watch as Colorado Secretary of State, any "elections" where the outcome is foreordained before the ballot reaches any voter.
Gary Swing (Unity)
I propose that Colorado ballot access laws be revised to set the following thresholds for independent candidates or party primaries: Presidential tickets: $1,000 filing fee or 1,000 petition signatures. Statewide offices: $500 filing fee or 500 petition signatures. Congressional districts: $200 filing fee or 200 petition signatures. State legislators: $100 filing fee or 100 petition signatures. County offices: $100 filing fee or the lesser of 100 petition signatures or 1% of the most recent total vote cast for county clerk and recorder.
Colorado's state constitution granted citizens the right to initiate their own legislation and state constitutional amendments. Year after year, establishment politicians have sought to gut the citizen initiative process by adding more restrictions, making it more difficult to qualify for the ballot, and more difficult to approve citizen initiatives. I support repealing these restrictions on the citizen initiative process and reducing petition signature requirements for state citizen initiatives to one percent of the total vote cast in the most recent election for Secretary of State. I support online petitioning as an alternative to paper petitions. I would also support a national initiative and referendum process.
Bennett Rutledge (L)
1. Vestment of political power. All Political power is vested in and derived from the people; all government, of right, originates from the people, is founded on their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole.
4. Religious Freedom. ... no person shall be denied any civil or political right, privilege, or capacity, on account of his opinions concerning religion, ... Nor shall any preference be given by law to any religious denomination or mode of worship.
5. Freedom of Elections. All elections shall be free and open; and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage.
6. Equality of justice. Courts of Justice shall be open to every person, and a speedy remedy afforded for every injury to person, property or character; and right and justice should be administered without sale, denial, or delay.
25. Due process of law. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law.
26. Slavery prohibited. There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude.
28. Rights reserved not disparaged. The enumeration in this constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny, impair, or disparage others retained by the people.Gary Swing (Unity)
The US government was created and designed in secret by a handful of wealthy white men -- predominantly slaveholders -- who sought to preserve their own wealth and power. The system they designed initially excluded 94% of the population from the right to representation, in a nation where 18% of the population was enslaved.
The United States still operates under an archaic system of government that was designed to preserve slavery.
I agree with Thomas Jefferson's argument that future generations cannot be bound by the prejudices of their barbarous ancestors. Every generation should create its own constitution. The United States is more than 200 years overdue for a new constitutional convention.
The US Senate and the Electoral College are misrepresentative relics of slavery. They should be abolished.
At the national level, I support the adoption of an open party list system for the election of a unicameral Congress. I support a national initiative and referendum process to give people the right to vote directly on policy, not just on politicians. I support term limits for Supreme Court justices. A new Constitutional Convention should be held at least once every twenty years.Bennett Rutledge (L)
Chief Election Official Custodian of laws and regulations Liaison to other state governments Administrator of Businesses and Business Licensing de facto Chief Information Officer
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Gary Swing (Unity)
In the United States, we live in a nation that was built on a foundation of slavery, genocide, and racism.
I see Nelson Mandela as a leader for peace and justice who sought to overcome institutionalized racism that was comparable to the history of racial injustice and oppression in the United States.
The pre-amble of South Africa's constitution of 1996 incorporates the term "Unity in Diversity" as a central tenet of post-apartheid South Africa.
The slogan "Unity in Diversity" has been used by a variety of religious and political groups as an expression of harmony and celebration of multiculturalism based on an understanding that our differences enrich human interactions.
Quotes from Nelson Mandela:
"No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
"It is necessary to heal the wounds of the past If you are going to build your country and to have unity. I am working with people who fought me very bitterly before the elections. It was my responsibility as the man who is leading the majority party, my responsibility to heal the wounds of the past and to work with people who were my opponents."
"Bridge the chasm, use tolerance and compassion, be inclusive, not exclusive, build dignity and pride, encourage freedom of expression, to create a civil society for unity and peace."Bennett Rutledge (L)
Gary Swing (Unity)
The Urbanist published this commentary I wrote about proportional representation: https://www.theurbanist.org/2022/04/07/u-s-voting-systems-should-and-can-better-reflect-diversity-in-representation/
This is the text of a speech I gave about party list systems of proportional representation: https://www.bestdemocracy.org/proportional-representation/party-list.html
I recommend the election reform group Best Democracy for more information about proportional voting systems: https://www.bestdemocracy.org
FairVote hosts the Proportional Representation Library: https://www.fairvote.org/proportional_representation_library#beginning_readingsBennett Rutledge (L)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
I am aware that I don't know what I don't know, and I must seek help from others to see into my blind spot. I know nothing with such certainty that I am willing for people to die over it.
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Gary Swing (Unity)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Gary Swing (Unity)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Gary Swing (Unity)
Eugene Patilio is an aspiring superhero from Marvel Comics who has no superpowers. He has a frog costume that he got from his father, an unsuccessful criminal named Leapfrog. The costume has spring loaded boots that allow the wearer to jump long distances. Eugene Patilio, in the guise of the Fabulous Frog-Man, somehow manages to defeat villains by clumsily bouncing into them.
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Gary Swing (Unity)
The purpose of my candidacy is to stand as an advocate for proportional representation voting systems.
I recognize the practical reality that the existing winner take all voting system produces a two party system. The winner of this election will be either the Democratic or Republican nominee (probably the Democratic incumbent). As the nominee of the Unity Party, I understand that I will not be elected to this office. I intend to have a zero dollar candidacy. I don't ask anyone to vote for me. I encourage people to vote their conscience, if they choose to participate in electoral politics.
The Republican Party has three candidates for Secretary of State on its primary ballot. Former Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder Pam Anderson is the only qualified candidate in the Republican primary for this office. She has the practical experience to do the work of this office. Her campaign messaging gives the impression that she intends to carry out the responsibilities of the Secretary of State's Office in a professional, non-partisan manner. I encourage people who vote in the Republican primary to cast their ballot for Pam Anderson.Bennett Rutledge (L)
Bennett Rutledge (L)
Past elections
2018
General election
General election for Colorado Secretary of State
Jena Griswold defeated incumbent Wayne W. Williams, Amanda Campbell, and Blake Huber in the general election for Colorado Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jena Griswold (D) | 52.7 | 1,313,716 | |
Wayne W. Williams (R) | 44.7 | 1,113,927 | ||
Amanda Campbell (American Constitution Party) | 2.1 | 51,734 | ||
Blake Huber (Approval Voting Party) | 0.5 | 13,258 |
Total votes: 2,492,635 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Bennett Rutledge (L)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State
Jena Griswold advanced from the Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jena Griswold | 100.0 | 510,903 |
Total votes: 510,903 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State
Incumbent Wayne W. Williams advanced from the Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Wayne W. Williams | 100.0 | 414,926 |
Total votes: 414,926 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
2014
Secretary of State of Colorado, 2014 | ||||
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Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Republican | Wayne Williams | 47.3% | 932,588 | |
Democratic | Joe Neguse | 45% | 886,043 | |
American Constitution | Amanda Campbell | 3.9% | 77,790 | |
Libertarian | David Schambach | 3.7% | 73,413 | |
Total Votes | 1,969,834 | |||
Election results via Colorado Secretary of State |
Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Presidential elections
Cook PVI by congressional district
Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Colorado, 2022 | |||
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District | Incumbent | Party | PVI |
Colorado's 1st | Diana DeGette | Democratic | D+29 |
Colorado's 2nd | Joe Neguse | Democratic | D+17 |
Colorado's 3rd | Lauren Boebert | Republican | R+7 |
Colorado's 4th | Ken Buck | Republican | R+13 |
Colorado's 5th | Doug Lamborn | Republican | R+9 |
Colorado's 6th | Jason Crow | Democratic | D+9 |
Colorado's 7th | Open | Democratic | D+4 |
Colorado's 8th | New Seat | N/A | Even |
2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines
2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2022 district lines, Colorado[1] | ||||
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District | Joe Biden | Donald Trump | ||
Colorado's 1st | 79.5% | 18.2% | ||
Colorado's 2nd | 68.7% | 28.8% | ||
Colorado's 3rd | 44.7% | 52.9% | ||
Colorado's 4th | 39.5% | 58.0% | ||
Colorado's 5th | 43.1% | 53.2% | ||
Colorado's 6th | 60.6% | 36.8% | ||
Colorado's 7th | 55.7% | 41.5% | ||
Colorado's 8th | 50.8% | 46.3% |
2012-2020
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
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Democratic | |||||||
Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
Republican | |||||||
Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
New Republican | D | D | R |
Following the 2020 presidential election, 60.4% of Coloradans lived in one of the state's 21 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 34.5% lived in one of 36 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Colorado was Solid Democratic, having voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2012, Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016, and Joe Biden (D) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Colorado following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
Colorado county-level statistics, 2020 | |||||||
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Solid Democratic | 21 | 60.4% | |||||
Solid Republican | 36 | 34.5% | |||||
Battleground Democratic | 2 | 3.2% | |||||
New Democratic | 1 | 1.1% | |||||
Trending Republican | 3 | 0.5% | |||||
New Republican | 1 | 0.3% | |||||
Total voted Democratic | 24 | 64.7% | |||||
Total voted Republican | 40 | 35.3% |
Historical voting trends
Colorado presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 13 Democratic wins
- 18 Republican wins
Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
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Winning Party | D | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | D | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D |
Statewide elections
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Colorado.
U.S. Senate election results in Colorado | ||
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Race | Winner | Runner up |
2020 | 53.5% | 44.2% |
2016 | 49.9% | 44.3% |
2014 | 48.2% | 46.3% |
2010 | 48.1% | 46.4% |
2008 | 52.8% | 42.5% |
Average | 50.5 | 44.7 |
Gubernatorial elections
- See also: Governor of Colorado
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Colorado.
Gubernatorial election results in Colorado | ||
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Race | Winner | Runner up |
2018 | 53.4% | 42.8% |
2014 | 49.3% | 46.0% |
2010 | 51.1% | 36.4% (Constitution Party) |
2006 | 57.0% | 40.2% |
2002 | 62.5% | 33.7% |
Average | 54.7 | 39.8 |
State partisanship
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Colorado's congressional delegation as of November 2022.
Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Colorado, November 2022 | |||
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Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
Democratic | 2 | 4 | 6 |
Republican | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 2 | 7 | 9 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Colorado's top four state executive offices as of November 2022.
State executive officials in Colorado, November 2022 | |
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Office | Officeholder |
Governor | Jared Polis |
Lieutenant Governor | Dianne Primavera |
Secretary of State | Jena Griswold |
Attorney General | Phil Weiser |
State legislature
The tables below highlight the partisan composition of the Colorado General Assembly as of November 2022.
Colorado State Senate
Party | As of November 2022 | |
---|---|---|
Democratic Party | 21 | |
Republican Party | 14 | |
Vacancies | 0 | |
Total | 35 |
Colorado House of Representatives
Party | As of November 2022 | |
---|---|---|
Democratic Party | 41 | |
Republican Party | 23 | |
Vacancies | 1 | |
Total | 65 |
Trifecta control
As of November 2022, Colorado was a Democratic trifecta, with majorities in both chambers of the state legislature and control of the governorship. The table below displays the historical trifecta status of the state.
Colorado Party Control: 1992-2022
Ten 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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 |
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 |
Demographics
The table below details demographic data in Colorado and compares it to the broader United States as of 2019.
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Demographic Data for Colorado | ||
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Colorado | United States | |
Population | 5,773,714 | 331,449,281 |
Land area (sq mi) | 103,636 | 3,531,905 |
Race and ethnicity** | ||
White | 81.5% | 70.4% |
Black/African American | 4.1% | 12.6% |
Asian | 3.2% | 5.6% |
Native American | 0.9% | 0.8% |
Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.2% |
Two or more | 5.9% | 5.2% |
Hispanic/Latino | 21.7% | 18.2% |
Education | ||
High school graduation rate | 92.1% | 88.5% |
College graduation rate | 41.6% | 32.9% |
Income | ||
Median household income | $75,231 | $64,994 |
Persons below poverty level | 9.8% | 12.8% |
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020). | ||
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. |
See also
Colorado | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
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