Election Day is now less than a week away and the number of ballots returned by Coloradans continues to climb, closing in on the 1 million mark.
So far, Republican and Democratic turnout is almost even. That's a change from the 2014 midterm election, when Republicans had a sizable lead in early returns, until Democrats caught up close to Election Day.
"If Republicans don't ever have that big advantage that they had in 2014, it's going to be interesting to watch and see if there is still a late rush of Democratic ballots in those last few days," said Ryan Winger with the polling firm Magellan Strategies.
Unaffiliated voters, who make up the largest sector of registered voters, have turned in ballots well ahead of their 2014 pace. So far, close to a quarter-million have returned their ballots. Of those unaffiliated voters, around half also chose to participate in the primary, something they could do for the first time in 2018.
"Just that in and of itself, opening up the political process to them, might have got them more engaged in politics," Winger said. "Maybe that also carries over to them returning their ballots a little bit earlier than they did in 2014."
You want to know what is really going on these days, especially in Colorado. We can help you keep up. The Lookout is a free, daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado. Sign up here and we will see you in the morning!
It takes a good day’s drive to cover Colorado, but we’ll help you do it in a few minutes. Our newsletters bring you a closer look at the stories that affect you and the music that inspires you.
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now.