Presidential Primary Proposal Clears 1st Colorado Hurdle

DENVER (AP) - A plan to return Colorado to a presidential preference primary has cleared its first hurdle at the state Legislature.

A House committee voted 5-4 Monday to set up a primary vote for 2020. Unaffiliated voters could choose to vote in a party's primary as long as they indicate a preference, which would then be scrubbed after the vote.

That falls short of a truly open primary, in which voters could cast ballots in whichever party they choose, without indicating a party preference. Colorado has more unaffiliated voters than voters registered with either party.

Legislative analysts have said a primary vote would cost about $5 million.

Colorado's harried presidential caucuses last month elicited complaints from both Republicans and Democrats.

LINK: House Bill 1454

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