Colorado Considers Letting Independents Vote in Presidential Primaries

Colorado Considers Letting Independents Vote in Presidential Primaries
Published: 21 Apr, 2016
1 min read

The 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.

IVP Donate

Read the Full Report from The Denver Post Here.

Photo Source: The Denver Post

You Might Also Like

New IVP 2026 California Governor Poll: What the Toplines Don’t Tell You
New IVP 2026 California Governor Poll: What the Toplines Don’t Tell You
Using verified California voter file data, IVP surveyed high-propensity voters from February 13 through 20. The poll tested first-choice ballot preferences alongside issue intensity on affordability and the cost of living, immigration enforcement, more choice reform, and more....
23 Feb, 2026
-
10 min read
81% of Americans Say Money Controls Politics – Can a Constitutional Amendment Fix It?
81% of Americans Say Money Controls Politics – Can a Constitutional Amendment Fix It?
Polls consistently show that nearly all Americans across the political spectrum agree that there is too much money in politics – whether from foreign sources, corporations, or so-called “dark money” groups. ...
23 Feb, 2026
-
13 min read
10 Reasons Why the Congressional Stock Trading Ban Will Never Pass
10 Reasons Why the Congressional Stock Trading Ban Will Never Pass
The overlap between committee assignments and stock ownership is not automatically illegal. Because the current legal framework permits this proximity as long as disclosure rules are followed, lawmakers are not operating under a system that forces change....
20 Feb, 2026
-
4 min read