Precinct caucuses are the first step, setting the groundwork for county, district and state assemblies that will take place through mid-April.
This lengthy grassroots process is one of two routes to get onto the primary ballot in Colorado; candidates can also collect petition signatures to qualify for the ballot. However, the assembly process is often less expensive and is a way for the two major political parties to engage voters and decide on a party platform for the year.
Here's everything you need to know about Colorado caucuses and how to get involved this week:
What Is a Precinct Caucus?
Precinct caucuses are community meetings of registered Democrats and Republicans held ahead of primary elections. During the meetings, voters elect delegates to represent the precinct at their party's upcoming countywide assemblies. They also elect precinct leaders responsible for organizing future political activities within the precinct.At county assemblies, elected delegates nominate candidates for countywide races to be on the primary ballot. Candidates must get at least 30 percent of the delegate vote to make the ballot, meaning only three candidates per office can make it through an assembly, though it’s often fewer. Delegates at county assemblies also decide which delegates will advance to the district and state assemblies.
At the district assemblies, delegates nominate candidates for the primary ballot for Congress, the state legislature, the state Board of Education, the Board of Regents and district attorneys. At the state assemblies, they nominate candidates for the primary ballot for statewide offices, and elect delegates to go to their party's national convention to cast votes for president based on the results of the presidential primary election on March 5.
Who Can Participate in a Caucus?
Precinct caucuses are open to the public, but only registered members of the Democratic and Republican parties are eligible to vote for their party's delegates and precinct leaders.To participate in a party's precinct caucus, voters must live within the precinct, be registered to vote and be affiliated with the party. All of these requirements must be met at least 22 days before the caucus — so for those who aren't already eligible, it's too late to get involved in this year's caucuses.
Unaffiliated voters cannot participate in party precinct caucuses, but they can vote in either party's primary election on March 5.
Some people under the age of eighteen are allowed to vote at precinct caucuses, with the rules varying by party: pre-registered Democrats who are at least sixteen years old during the caucus can vote, and pre-registered Republicans who are seventeen years old during the caucus but will turn eighteen by the general election can vote.
When and Where Are Caucuses?
This year, precinct caucuses must be held between Tuesday, March 5, and Saturday, March 9. Local party leaders are responsible for choosing the time and place for each precinct caucus.For the Democratic Party, each caucus's time, date and location is available online at coloradodems.org. (Denver's caucuses will take place on Thursday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m. at eleven different locations.)
For the Republican Party, voters can find their caucus location by entering their address at caucus.cologop.org. Then, use the resulting contact information to request the time and date of the caucus, or reach out to your county's party head at cologop.org/counties.
What's Next in Colorado?
County assemblies are the next step after precinct caucuses in Colorado. The county assemblies must occur within three weeks of the caucuses, though many counties hold their assembly on the same day, beginning immediately after the precinct caucus concludes.District assemblies happen next. The Democratic Party's House, Senate and judicial district assemblies are scheduled to take place between March 30 and April 10, and its congressional district assemblies are set for April 11. The Republican Party will hold its congressional assemblies on April 5.
Finally, the state assemblies come after the congressional district assemblies. They must be completed by April 13. The Democratic Party's state assembly will be conducted virtually on April 13, and the Republican Party's is scheduled for April 6 in Pueblo.
Colorado's primary election will be held on June 25. The presidential primary election will determine how many of Colorado's delegates are allocated to support each candidate at the conventions. The national party conventions to select presidential nominees will be in July in Milwaukee for the Republican Party, and in August in Chicago for the Democratic Party.
If no candidate gets a majority of delegates, then the superdelegates — elected officials and party leaders such as Colorado's congressional delegation and Governor Jared Polis — will get to cast a ballot in the second round of voting.
The general election will take place on November 5.
Keep an eye on our Election topic page for all of our latest coverage.
