On the Democratic side, the primary between Beth McCann, Michael Carrigan and Kenneth Boyd for Denver District Attorney is likely to decide who the next D.A. will be in this heavily Democratic city. It’s a coveted job that's open for the first time in 12 years now that current incumbent Mitch Morrissey term-limited out of a job.
Voters who want to participate in the primary need to get their ballots in by 7 p.m. Tuesday. As of Monday morning, one in five Democrats and almost 25 percent of Republicans have already done that. It’s too late to send ballots back by mail. Voters at this point must return their ballots using drop-boxes and at county vote centers. Unaffiliated voters who want to participate in the primary can go to a vote center in their home county through the end of the election tomorrow to join a party and cast their ballot. Register to vote and find your polling locations here.
Here's five story lines we've followed:
1: Who Are These Senate Candidates?
For the Republican Party, the race is attracting national attention; it's seen as one of the GOP's only chances in the country to pick up a Senate seat this year. And it's a crowded field. Here's the speed dating version of the candidates Republican voters are seeing on their ballots. Read the story.
2: The Republican Senate Race Bypasses Tradition
A growing number of candidates in Colorado are bypassing traditional party nominating processes and instead collecting voter signatures to earn their spots on primary election ballots. This year that's meant controversy and, in the case of one Republican U.S. Senate candidate, allegations of fraud. Read the story.
3: Graham Leads The Senate Fundraising Race
The latest fundraising reports in the Republican primary show former CSU athletic director Jack Graham out in front. He’s raised more than $400,000 and loaned his campaign another $1.5 million. But whoever wins the GOP Senate primary tomorrow faces an uphill fundraising battle in the general election, because Bennet already has close to $6 million in his war chest. Read the story.
4: United Against Gun Control
The GOP contenders for Senate reacted cautiously after the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub earlier this month, but they agreed that the debate over policy should be about defeating radical Islam and its recruiting efforts, not about domestic gun control. All condemned the attack on the gay nightclub and expressed sympathy and support for victims, their families and the LGBT community. Read the story.
5: A Pricey Denver DA Race
The race to replace Mitch Morrisey as Denver's district attorney is already about three times more expensive than last time there was a competitive run for the office, with more than $1.5 million raised by the candidates so far. That makes it by far Colorado's most expensive non-federal primary this election cycle. The winner of Tuesday's contest will face an independent candidate, another deputy DA from the office, in the general election. Read the story.
