Uncontested Primaries

Colorado's non-Presidential primary elections are today. Many are uncontested. 

There were 242 potential primary races related to 121 elected offices. There are 205 uncontested primary races and 34 contested primary races (14% of the number of possible contested primaries).

In part, there are few primary contests because in Colorado, the caucus process narrows access to the primary ballot. One can petition onto the primary ballot, but only if one either doesn't utilize the caucus process or uses it and doesn't fair too poorly there.

In 4 of the contested primaries, no one is running in the other party so the general election winner will be decided today. There are 26 races with only one candidate running from both parties that have already been decided. Of course, there are far more races that have both Democratic and Republican candidates, but which one party or other other is almost sure to win in November, including both contested Democratic Party U.S. House primaries.

One race (the 14th District Attorney's race) has no one running in either major party.

There is also one U.S. House vacancy race, in CO-4, which is effectively a general election and has one candidate from each major party and two independents running. Greg Lopez, the Republican candidate, is almost sure to win that race for the remaining five months of the current term, but will not be running for re-election in the fall as he is not running in the GOP primary for that seat.

There are more details below the fold.

There are 23 District Attorney races, so potentially 46 primary races of which about 7% were contested. One of the 23 Democratic party races (Denver) is contested. Two of the 23 Republican party races (the 4th District in El Paso and Teller counties, and the newly created 23rd District in Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties) are contested. Sixteen seats have an uncontested primary in one party and no one running from the other party. One seat (the 14th District in Grand, Moffat and Routt counties) has no candidates in either major party.

There are 65 state house of representatives races, so potentially 130 primary races of which 12% were contested. 7 Democratic races and 9 Republican races are contested. Ten more districts have only one candidate running from both parties. One district with a contested Democratic primary has no Republican running.

There are 18 state senate races, so potentially 36 primary races of which 19% were contested. 3 Democratic races and 4 Republican races are contested. Three seats have only Democrats running (two of which don't have contested primaries) and two seats have only Republicans running (both with contested primaries).

There are 3 CU Regent races, so potentially 6 primary races of which 17% were contested. 1 Democratic race is contested. All three have candidates from both parties.

There are 4 state school board races, so potentially 8 primary races of which 25% were contested. There is one contested Democratic party race (in a district in which no Republican is running) and one contested Republican party race.

There are 8 U.S. House of Representatives races, so potentially 16 primary races of which 31% are contested. All of them have at least one Democrat and one Republican running. There are two contested Democratic primaries and three contested Republican primaries.