Colorado to hold 2020 presidential primary on Super Tuesday
Colorado will be one of the 13 states which will hold its presidential primary election on March 3, 2020, commonly known as "Super Tuesday." Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, and Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced the change Tuesday.
Voters passed a measure in 2016 allowing the governor to set the date for the primary, and Polis said he will sign an executive order moving the election to Super Tuesday. The state will also utilize a mail-in ballot system for voting, as it does in the general election. Unaffiliated voters, who make up about 40 percent of the state's electorate, can choose to vote in either party's primary.
"We want to welcome all of the candidates from both sides of the aisle and the other parties as well, to come listen to our concerns here in Colorado to make sure we have a competitive process, to make sure that Colorado voices are heard by whomever becomes the next president of the United States," Polis said.
Super Tuesday is a critical day for presidential candidates, as a sweep can help secure the nomination, while significant losses can end a campaign. President Trump won seven Super Tuesday states in 2016, as did Hillary Clinton.
Super Tuesday states include critical blocs in the South and the West. The following states will be holding their primary on Super Tuesday in 2020: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.
California, Texas and Colorado are particularly important states to win. A victory in California could help lock the nomination, given the state's high number of delegates. Colorado and Texas are more purple, so a resounding election win in those states could indicate a candidate's ability to compete in the general election.
Several candidates hail from Super Tuesday states. Sen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Eric Swalwell are from California. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Seth Moulton represent Massachusetts. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is from Minnesota. Former Gov. John Hickenlooper is from Colorado. Beto O'Rourke is from Texas, and Sen. Bernie Sanders represents Vermont.
