Colorado

COLORADO	9 Electoral Votes
	Colorado went from 8 electoral votes to 9 as a result of the 2000 Census

Population
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Colorado Secretary of State)

Total Population, July 1, 2003 est.	4,550,688
Total Registration, Oct. 27, 2004	3,114,566

Rep. 1,125,374 (36.13%) Dem. 947,866 (30.43%) Unaff. 1,028,886 (33.03%) Lib. 6,078 (0.20%) Grn. 5,279 (0.17%) NLP 534 Ref. 337 ACP 170 CTP 42
Colorado has: 63 counties.
Five largest counties: Jefferson, Denver, El Paso, Arapahoe, Adams.
Five largest cities: Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Lakewood, Fort Collins.

Government
Governor: Bill Owens (R) elected 1998, re-elected in Nov. 2002.
State Legislature: Colorado General Assembly House: 65 seats Senate: 35 seats
Local: Counties, Cities... NACO Counties
U.S. House 5R, 2D - 1. D.DeGette (D) | 2. M.Udall (D) | 3. S.McInnis (R) | 4. M.Musgrave (R) | 5. J.Hefley (R) | 6. T.Tancredo (R). | 7. B.Beauprez (R) *1 new seat in 2002 as a result of the 2000 Census. >>
U.S. Senate: Wayne Allard (R) re-elected in 2002, Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R) did not seek re-election in 2004. *open seat.

In the closely watched U.S. Senate race, Attorney General Ken Salazar (D) defeated Pete Coors (R) by 1,081,188 to 980,668 (51.30% to 46.53%). Colorado had several very competitive U.S. House races. The 3rd CD, opened up by the retirement of Rep. Scott McInnis (R), changed parties as State Rep. John Salazar (D), brother of the A.G., defeated Greg Walcher (R), exec. dir. of Colorado's Department of Natural Resources, who also worked for many years as an aide to Sen. Bill Armstrong. Amendment 36, which would have, effective this election, changed the way Colorado allocates its electoral votes so they are divided based on the popular vote, was defeated by a magin of 65.22% to 34.78%.

The Centennial State

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Politics1-CO

State Primary Aug. 10, 2004

General Election -- Tuesday, November 2, 2004

Last day to register to vote for the General Election: October 4, 2004.
Early voting at the early voters' polling place: October 18-29, 2004.

Results
+Bush/Cheney (Rep.)	1,101,255	(51.71)
Kerry/Edwards (Dem.)	1,001,732	(47.04)
Badnarik/Campagna (Lib.)	7,664	(0.36)
Cobb/LaMarche (Grn.)	1,591	(0.07)
Nader/Camejo (CRP)	12,718	(0.60)
Peroutka/Baldwin (ACP)	2,562	(0.12)
Amondson/Pletten (COP)	378	(0.02)
Andress/Deasy (Un.)	804	(0.04)
Brown/Hollis (SP)	216	(0.01)
Dodge/Lydick (Prohib.)	140	(0.01)
Harris/Trowe (SWP)	241	(0.01)
Van Auken/Lawrence (SEP)	329	(0.02)
Total........2,129,630

According to unofficial statistics reported by county clerks and recorders 51,529 provisional ballots were cast, of which 39,086 were counted and 12,443 rejected.

2004 Overview
Democrats made a play for Colorado, and although the brothers Salazar picked up the open U.S. Senate and U.S. House seats, the Kerry-Edwards ticket fell short. Bush achieved a plurality of 99,523 votes (4.67 percentage points).
General Election Details
Kerry/Allies | Bush-Cheney '04

Past Results

1996

Dole (Rep.).............691,848	(45.80)
Clinton (Dem.)........671,152	(44.43)
Perot (Ref.)..............99,629	(6.59)
Nader (Grn.).............25,070	(1.66)
Others (9)................23,005	(1.52)
Total........1,510,704

1992

Clinton (Dem.)........629,681
(40.13)

Bush (Rep.)............562,850
(35.87)

Perot (Ind.).............366,010
(23.32)

Others (2+w/ins).......10,639
(0.68)

Total........1,569,180

2000

+Bush/Cheney (Rep.)	883,748	(50.75)
Gore/Lieberman (Dem.)	738,227	(42.39)
Browne/Olivier (Lib.)	12,799	(0.73)
Hagelin/Goldhaber (NLP)	2,240	(0.13)
Nader/LaDuke (Grn.)	91,434	(5.25)
Phillips/Frazier (Am.C.)	1,319	(0.08)
Buchanan/Foster (Un/Fr.)	10,465	(0.60)
Dodge/Watkins (Prohib.)	208	(0.01)
Harris/Trowe (SWC)	216	(0.01)
McReynolds/Hollis (SP)	712	(0.04)
Total........1,741,368

Early voting ran from Oct. 23, 2000 (15 days before the election) to Nov. 3, 2000 (Friday before the election).
Total Registration: 2,883,948 - Rep. 1,022,019 (35.44%) Dem. 863,740 (29.95%) Lib. 4,378 (0.15%) Grn. 3,237 (0.11%) NLP 1,204 (0.04%) Unaff. 989,370 (34.31).

Turnout as a percentage of voting age population was 56.78%. (U.S. avg: 53.76%).

2000 Overview
Bush won Colorado with a plurality of 145,521 votes (8.36 percentage points) and carried 50 of the state's 63 counties. In contrast to 1996, when Colorado experienced a dogfight in the presidential race, the Gore camp did not target the state, making for a quiet general election campaign. During the post-convention period Colorado only merited one visit each from the running mates. Ralph Nader made a couple of visits after the Greens convention in June (Sept. 8-10 and a final stop on Nov. 2), and his 5.25% proved to be one of his better showings. Down-ticket there were various initiative campaigns, and Colorado Democrats managed to wrest control of the State Senate from the GOP, for their only legislative chamber pick-up in the country.
General Election Activity

2004 Democratic Precinct Caucuses --Tuesday, April 13, 2004

On March 5, 2003 Gov. Bill Owens signed into law SB03-188 eliminating the state's presidential primary election. Difficult state finances prompted the move; the bill also deducted $2.2 million from the Department of State cash fund and transferred it to the state's general fund. (Elections are covered in Title I of the Colorado Revised Statutes).

Democrats

Precinct Caucuses - April 13, 2004

County Conventions - between April 23 and May 13, 2004

CD Conventions - between May 14 and May 21, 2004

State Convention - May 22, 2004

64 Delegates (53 Pledged, 11 Unpledged) and 9 Alternates

Republicans
Precinct Caucuses - April 13, 2004 ... County Assemblies ... District Conventions ... State Convention - June 5, 2004
50 Delegates (21 CD and 29 At Large)

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