Politics
As Affordable Care Act scrutinized for rising premiums, Colorado will see avg increase of 20 percent
DENVER – Coloradans can expect their individual health insurance policies to increase by an average of 20 percent next year as insurers continue to pull individual plans from the state marketplace.
Amid news from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that premiums for plans offered through the Affordable Care Act are expected to rise by an average of 25 percent on the national marketplace, the Colorado Division of Insurance says individual premiums will likely increase by an average of 20.4 percent statewide. Continue reading
Amid last-minute swing state blitz, Pence to campaign for Trump in Colorado Springs Wednesday
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Republican vice presidential candidate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, will be back in Colorado again Wednesday evening for another campaign stop in Colorado Springs.
He and his running mate, Donald Trump, have embarked on a last-minute blitz of classic swing states and other states that have suddenly become toss-ups ahead of the polarizing Nov. 8 General Election.
Pence will make three stops in Ohio Tuesday before heading to Reno, Nevada, Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs Wednesday.
His event in Springs will be held at 7 p.m. at the Colorado Springs Event Center. Tickets are available here.
Trump is campaigning in Florida Tuesday before he heads to Washington, D.C. Wednesday to officially open his new Trump International Hotel. He’ll then fly to North Carolina for a Wednesday evening rally in Kinston before spending Thursday campaigning in Ohio.
But Trump tweeted Tuesday afternoon that he will “see [Colorado] soon,” though no official trips to Colorado are listed on his campaign website.
Get your ballots in Colorado – I will see you soon — and we will win!#MakeAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/oDLvZg7MLk
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2016
The Trump campaign has campaigned extensively in Colorado in the past two months as it continues to believe it has a chance to win the state, which is a classic “purple state” that votes Democrat and Republican fairly equally.
But the most recent polls show states that are usually Republican strongholds, like Nevada, Utah and Ohio, are slipping from Trump’s grip in the final weeks of the election.
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Federal lawsuit filed by state senator, first-time voter to challenge Colorado ballot picture ban
DENVER – Colorado voters could in fact get to take selfies with their ballots after all, as long as a federal judge rules on a lawsuit filed Monday by a state senator and first-time voter before Election Day.
Under current Colorado law, people are prohibited from showing their completed ballots to anyone else. The statute, CRS §1-13-712, states that “[n]o voter shall show his ballot after it is prepared for voting to any person in such a way as to reveal its contents.” Continue reading
Everything you need to know to vote in the 2016 General Election in Colorado
DENVER – State and local election authorities began mailing ballots out to registered Colorado voters Monday ahead of the Nov. 8 election.
In Colorado, every registered voter will receive a mail ballot, but those mail ballots can be surrendered if someone decides to vote in-person at a polling center instead.
Both major presidential campaigns on Monday sent out statements urging Coloradans to vote for their respective candidates. The Clinton and Trump campaigns each also had surrogates campaigning in the state Monday.
Through Oct. 3, state records showed 3,125,919 people were registered to vote in the state.
WHEN DO I NEED TO REGISTER BY?
People are eligible to vote if they are at least 18 years old on Nov. 8; are a U.S. citizen; have lived in Colorado for at least 22 days before the election date; and are not serving a jail or prison sentence for a felony conviction. Felons can vote pending completion of their parole and people on probation can vote, though ex-offenders are encouraged to re-register.
In Colorado, people can register to vote all the way up to on Election Day, but there are some restrictions.
People who have a Colorado ID or driver’s license can register online by clicking here. A mail-in application is available at the same link.
Anyone who uses either the online or mail-in registration tool at least eight days before the election will receive a mail-in ballot. Be sure to sign your envelope the ballot is returned in.
Mail-in ballots are required to be received by your local county clerk at or before 7 p.m. Nov. 8. The USPS and Secretary of State’s Office both advise voters mail in their ballots by Nov. 1 to ensure it is delivered on time.
If you register within the eight days prior to the election, you will be registered, but will have to visit a state service or polling center in order to get a ballot.
There are also further restrictions for those who register through a voter drive: anyone who registered through a drive must do so at least 22 days before the election or you won’t receive a mail-in ballot. This means Monday, being 22 days before the election, is the last day to sign up through a voter drive.
If you wish to register on Election Day, you’ll have to do so at a polling place. Anyone who votes or registers to vote if they are ineligible faces a fine of up to $5,000, up to 18 months in jail, or both.
WHAT CAN I DO/WHAT WILL I NEED ON ELECTION DAY?
The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Monday sought to tamp down notions made by Donald Trump that the election will be “rigged” and that there will be widespread voter fraud, noting extensive precautions taken by the office and county clerk’s offices around the state to prevent fraud.
Colorado law prohibits any campaigning within 100 feet of a polling place in order to stop electioneering and voter intimidation. Voters are also barred from wearing any memorabilia for a candidate or party.
There will be poll watchers at some voting locations. Those people are certified by political parties, unaffiliated candidates and both proponents and opponents of certain ballot questions.
Anyone voting at the polls will have to bring forms of identification, and people voting by mail for the first time may need to provide a photocopy of their identification when mailing back their ballot, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Per the office, these are the acceptable forms of ID that can be used in voting:
- A valid Colorado driver’s license or valid identification card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue. (Note: documents issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S. are not acceptable forms of identification.)
- A valid U.S. passport.
- A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government or of Colorado, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of Colorado.
- A valid pilot’s license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the U.S.
- A valid U.S. military identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector.
- A copy of a current (within the last 60 days) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector.
- A Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaskan Native Blood.
- A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate for the elector.
- Certified documentation of naturalization.
- A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an institute of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102(5), C.R.S..
- A valid veteran identification card issued by the U.S. department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration with a photograph of the eligible elector.
- A valid identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government certifying tribal membership.
- Any form of identification listed above that shows your address must show a Colorado address to qualify as an acceptable form of identification.
- Verification that a voter is a resident of a group residential facility, as defined in section 1-1-104(18.5), C.R.S.
- Verification that a voter is a person committed to the department of human services and confined and eligible to register and vote shall be considered sufficient identification of such person for the purposes of section 1-2-210.5, C.R.S.
These forms of ID are not acceptable:
- A driver’s license or identification card issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S.
- Any document produced by Colorado’s statewide voter registration system.
MORE HELPFUL LINKS
To register to vote online, find whether or not you’re already registered, withdraw your registration or change your name on your voter registration, click here.
Find your county election office and county clerk here. Some county sample ballots are available on the county clerks’ websites.
Find your election fact sheet from the Secretary of State’s Office here. Frequently asked questions about the election can be found here.
For more information on election rules and laws, and further resources, click here.
Ballotpedia has compiled a large list of all the statewide races and ballot measures for Nov. 8. Click here to view.
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KNOW YOUR VOTE: 7 things to know about Amendment 70, the statewide minimum wage increase
DENVER – In the weeks ahead of the Nov. 8 General Election, Denver7 will be profiling most of the state ballot measures and initiatives. In this edition, we take a look at Amendment 70, better known as the statewide minimum wage increase.
Here are 7 things you need to know about Amendment 70: Continue reading
KNOW YOUR VOTE: 7 things to know about Amendment 69, better known as ColoradoCare
DENVER – In the weeks ahead of the Nov. 8 General Election, Denver7 will be profiling most of the state ballot measures and initiatives. In this edition, we take a look at Amendment 69, also known as ColoradoCare.
Here are 7 things you need to know about Amendment 69: Continue reading
KNOW YOUR VOTE: 7 things to know about Proposition 106, the right-to-die ballot initiative
DENVER – In the weeks ahead of the Nov. 8 General Election, Denver7 will be profiling most of the state ballot measures and initiatives. In this edition, we take a look at Proposition 106, also known as Colorado’s “right-to-die” initiative.
Here are 7 things you need to know about Proposition 106: Continue reading
In new ad, Gov. Hickenlooper stumps for state Senate candidates
DENVER – A new political ad paid for by a Washington, D.C.-based group shows Gov. John Hickenlooper telling viewers about four candidates he wants elected to the state Senate.
The governor touts Rachel Zenzinger, Daniel Kagan, Jenise May and Tom Sullivan for their respective Senate seats.
Republicans currently hold a one-seat advantage in the state Senate – 18-17. The races highlighted in the ad are likely to determine if Democrats regain control.
Zenzinger is taking on current state Sen. Laura Woods in District 19, which covers Arvada and Westminster. Libertarian Hans Romer is also in the race.
In 2014, Woods beat Zenzinger by 663 votes as a different Libertarian candidate got more than 3,600 votes.
In Cherry Hills’ District 26, current state Rep. Kagan is taking on former Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty.
In District 27 in Aurora, Tom Sullivan, who is the father of Aurora theater shooting victim Alex Sullivan, is challenging current state Sen. Jack Tate.
And in District 25, in northeastern Adams County, former state Rep. Jenise May is taking on current state Rep. Kevin Priola. When May lost her House seat in 2014, it was by only 106 votes.
The organization that paid for the ad, America Votes, sent Denver7 a statement regarding the ad Friday afternoon:
“America Votes is committed to ensuring the best quality of life for every Coloradan. We need champions to advance and protect the strides we have made in Colorado in recent years – from fighting for pay equity and economic equality to protecting laws that have made voting more accessible – it is critical that voters know which state Senate candidates stand for these issues and that Governor John Hickenlooper stands with them.”
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Federal judge allows portions of ‘Free the Nipple’ lawsuit against Fort Collins to move forward
DENVER – A federal judge will allow a lawsuit claiming a Fort Collins statute that prohibits women from going topless in public violates the U.S. and Colorado constitutions to move forward.
U.S. District Court of Colorado Judge R. Brooke Jackson ruled Thursday he would allow the lawsuit, brought on behalf of two women and the Fort Collins chapter of the “Free the Nipple” organization, to move forward on the grounds the Fort Collins statute violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Colorado Constitution’s Equal Rights Amendment.
The city of Fort Collins, the defendant in the lawsuit, had sought to dismiss those claims, as well as a claim by the plaintiffs that the statute violated the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.
Judge Jackson agreed to dismiss the First Amendment claim, saying planned topless protests “do not constitute protected speech,” as he wrote in his order.
“[P]laintiffs’ conduct does not warrant First Amendment protection because they have not adequately stated that there is a great likelihood that their nudity’s message about the sexualized nature of certain laws is likely to be understood by those who view them topless in public,” Judge Jackson wrote, noting further that case law has shown that “public nudity itself is not inherently expressive of any particular message.”
But he denied the city’s motion to dismiss the other two claims in the suit.
In regards to the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause claim, Judge Jackson found the plaintiffs had indeed “met [the] burden” of a violation as the city’s reasons for enacting the ordinance (“adequately summed up as Fort Collins’ desire to protect the public’s moral sensibilities,” according to the judge) “are also themselves premised on unconstitutional stereotypes of, generalizations about, and prejudices against women.”
The judge points to past case law that showed laws were in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment if it was passed to “create or perpetuate the legal, social, [or] economic inferiority of women.”
He also pointed to changes in case law over the 20th century that occurred as courts began to acknowledge that “real differences” between men and women perpetuated by courts over the years could only be used in determining discrimination violations when the laws compensate for historic inequities.
Judge Jackson determined the plaintiffs successfully argued the law fell into the way “real differences” had been used in old case law – which he wrote “adequately allege[s] an equal protection violation.”
He also upheld the argument by the plaintiffs that the Colorado Constitution’s Equal Rights Amendment should be applied to the case. It argues that laws “based exclusively on sexual status receive the closest judicial scrutiny,” and Judge Jackson agreed to do so since he had already ordered the Fourteenth Amendment claim to proceed.
The city of Fort Collins sent out a news release saying the order “does not lessen the City’s chances of ultimately prevailing in this lawsuit.”
“As the case moves forward to the hearing on the motion for preliminary injunction, we look forward to the opportunity to present evidence supporting the City’s position that the other two claims are also without merit,” Fort Collins City Attorney Carrie Daggett said in the same release.
Attorney David Lane, who is representing the plaintiffs in the case, said the judge’s order was “a great victory for women’s rights and equality under the law.”
In an interview with Denver7, Lane said the case was “absolutely” strong.
“Had we given him 10 reasons why this [ordinance] was unconstitutional and he agreed with one, it’s still unconstitutional,” Lane said. “What we have is a purely legal issue: is the statute constitutional or isn’t it? It’s far more of a legal determination, and [Judge Jackson] has already made his determination.
Up next in the case is an evidentiary hearing to determine whether a preliminary injunction against the Fort Collins ordinance should be issued. The hearing is set for Dec. 19 in front of Judge Jackson.
Lane speculated that should Judge Jackson grant the preliminary injunction, which he said he thinks will happen, Fort Collins would immediately appeal to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Residents of Denver and Boulder counties can track their ballots online every step of the way
DENVER – Now that ballots have been mailed to all registered Colorado voters, many of you are probably wondering if there is any way to keep track of your ballot once it’s mailed back.
While the Secretary of State’s Office has a website where you can register to vote, you can also check your ballot status there and find your polling location.
But Denver and Boulder counties have gone a step further and created ballot-tracking software that will show you exactly where your ballot is after it’s mailed back.
The Denver Elections Division uses a program called Ballot TRACE, which uses the U.S. Postal Service’s barcode technology to track a ballot envelope from its printing, to its delivery to your home, and then back to the elections division after it is mailed back.
If you sign up for Ballot TRACE, you can also sign up for automatic updates via email or text messages. Updates are also available on the elections division’s website.
Sign up for Ballot TRACE by clicking here.
Boulder County has a similar system called Ballot Track, which follows your ballot through the process and keeps you updated on its status as well. The system is nearly identical to the one utilized in Denver.
Boulder County residents can sign up to track their ballots here.
For more information on everything you need to vote in the 2016 General Election, click here.
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