A deep-blue state’s early voting figures show a razor-thin gap between the two major parties, according to The Denver Post.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s official numbers have revealed that Democrats are ahead of Republicans by only 22,000 ballots with over 635,000 ballots already returned, a significant development in the all-mail-in voting state. The data, released Wednesday, marks the first update since ballots were sent out to all registered voters in mid-October, with options to return by mail or via drop boxes.

The largest segment of voters so far is independents, however, with nearly 250,000 ballots returned. Democrats have submitted around 200,000 ballots, while Republicans trail with approximately 178,000. As of Tuesday, the majority of ballots—about 65%—have come from voters aged 55 and older, with more women participating than men. Early returns across all groups show a slower pace than in 2020, with this year’s 636,597 ballots falling short of the 1.27 million cast by this point four years ago.

While more ballots have been returned by Democratic voters so far, this aligns with Colorado’s voter registration demographics, where Democrats represent about 26% of active voters, compared to roughly 23% for Republicans.

In the 2020 presidential election, Colorado affirmed its position as a blue state, delivering a decisive win for Joe Biden. The Democratic candidate secured 55.4% of the vote, significantly outpacing then-incumbent President Donald Trump, who garnered 41.9%. This marked a continuation of Colorado’s trend toward the Democratic Party, following a similar outcome in 2016 when Hillary Clinton also carried the state.

The close margin is surprising considering the state tried to keep Trump off the ballot. In the closing months of 2023, the spotlight turned to Colorado in a pivotal legal battle concerning Trump’s eligibility for the 2024 presidential ballot. On December 19, 2023, a narrow 4-3 decision by the Colorado Supreme Court invoked the 14th Amendment’s Section 3 to disqualify Trump, citing his involvement in acts deemed “insurrection” against the United States.

The ruling was historic, marking the first time a state’s highest court used this constitutional clause against a presidential candidate, thereby preventing Trump from appearing on Colorado’s primary ballot. Although the decision was initially put on hold until January 4, 2024, to permit an appeal, Trump’s legal team quickly challenged the verdict. They criticized it as “completely flawed” and argued that it deprived Colorado voters of their rights.

The legal saga reached a climax on March 4, 2024, when the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in, overturning the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling. The national court found that states lack the jurisdiction to exclude candidates from federal elections based on the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment. The definitive ruling cleared the way for Trump’s inclusion on ballots across the country, ending similar legal pursuits in other states such as Maine and Illinois.

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