Colorado GOP Fights Unaffiliated Voters in Primary

Colorado Republican Party Seeks to Block Unaffiliated Voters from Primary Amidst Legal Battle The Colorado Republican Party has filed an emergency motion in federal court to prevent unaffiliated voters from participating in their June 30th primary. This move comes after a recent ruling by Judge Philip Brimmer, which struck down the states 75% threshold for parties to opt out of open primaries as unconstitutional. With ballots set to be mailed out in just weeks, this legal battle could significantly impact the upcoming election. The controversy stems from Proposition 108, passed by voters in 2016, allowing unaffiliated voters to choose either Democratic or Republican ballots starting in 2018. Unaffiliated voters now make up the largest portion of Colorados registered electorate. However, a group of conservatives has been pushing to close the GOP primary to them, arguing that it dilutes their choices. Party leaders have attempted to vote to opt out of open primaries annually, but they have never reached the required 75% threshold. Last year, only about 45% of the central committee supported the opt-out rule. Judge Brimmers decision, which came on March 31st, only invalidated the opt-out rule, not the entire open primary system. Secretary of State Jena Griswold has criticized the move, stating that it goes against Colorado law and voter will, and could cause confusion before ballots are sent out. The Democratic Party has no issue with unaffiliated voters participating in their primaries and encourages it. The Republican Party is currently without a permanent chair following a recent resignation and is relying on this narrow request for the 2026 cycle. The situation is heating up quickly, with all eyes on the judges decision. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a1cd92bdcb86f27d