Colorado’s Young Voter Turnout Strong for Presidential Primary

Denver, March 9, 2020 - For the first time in state history, eligible 17-year-old Coloradans were able to vote in a primary election, and they enthusiastically responded, casting over 10,500 ballots in Tuesday’s record-setting Presidential Primary.

“As the youngest Secretary of State in the country, it is important to me that young people’s voices are heard in Colorado elections,” said Secretary of State Jena Griswold. “That is one of the reasons I supported the 2019 Colorado Votes Act, which enables 17-year-olds who turn 18 by the General Election to cast a ballot in the primary. And we saw real results: eligible 17-year-olds cast over 10,500 ballots in Colorado’s Presidential Primary!

“To see young people so engaged from their first opportunity to vote gives me great hope that our state will continue to be the gold standard in election turnout for decades to come.”

Colorado is one of 18 states and the District of Columbia to allow 17-year-olds to vote in a primary as long as they are 18 by that year’s General Election, and Colorado’s young people turned out in force. So far, 10,634 out of 23,504 active registered 17-year-old voters cast ballots, for a turnout rate of 45.24%. Among those voters, 6,841 cast ballots for the Democratic Primary, 3,235 for the Republican Primary, and 558 are still in process.

Colorado’s counties continue to count ballots, including late-arriving military and overseas ballots, through Wednesday, March 11. As of Monday, March 9, the state’s overall turnout for the Presidential Primary among registered voters is 45.5%.

Eligible 17-year-old Colorado voters will have two more opportunities to exercise their right to vote in 2020 with the State Primary coming up on June 30 and the General Election on November 3.

For complete Primary Election Day results and data, please visit www.sos.state.co.us.