Shawn GriffithsThe Denver Post reported Wednesday that Colorado lawmakers will consider plans for a presidential primary that will include independent voters, who make up one-third of the state's electorate. The primary system would replace the current closed caucus system the state has had in place for several years.
The proposal would allow independent voters to choose which party's primary they want to cast a vote in and would change their voter registration to that party for 30 days after the date of the primary election.
The Denver Post reports:
"The measure would apply only to the presidential race. All other party caucus operations, including selecting delegates in the nomination process, would remain the same, he said.
'We're going to make it as easy as possible for unaffiliated voters to actually vote in the primary,' [Rep. Dominick] Moreno said. 'That would include allowing the unaffiliated voter to request which ballot they want, and it would result in them being temporarily affiliated with the party for the period of the primary. ...
'At the end of the day, we want as many people to participate in the primary as possible.'"
The Colorado Republican Party cancelled the presidential preference poll in its 2016 caucus, opting instead only to hold a convention. The decision left many party voters out in the cold.
On the Democratic side, only party members can participate in the presidential preference poll. In March, reports of hundreds of voters getting turned away at caucus sites surfaced as well as other voting issues that kept voters from participating.
If an independent voter wants to participate in either party's caucus, they currently have to register with their party of choice nearly two months before caucus day.
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