Last weekend’s Arapahoe County Democratic Assembly signals the
county’s major political parties have tentatively established the
list of candidates for county offices.
The county assembly is the second step in the party process to
select delegates for the upcoming primary and general
elections.
The first step was last month at the precinct caucuses. Each
party had separate caucuses in which the precinct voters elected
delegates to the county assembly. The county delegates select the
candidates for county offices and elect delegates to the state
assembly.
A candidate has two ways to get on the ballot: By getting the
votes of at least 30 percent of the delegates at the county
assembly or by gathering the required number of signatures on a
nominating petition.
Delegates elected at the county level will attend the state
convention to select party candidates for U.S. Congress and
president.
The Democrats will have their state convention and assembly May
15-16 at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, while the Republicans
state assembly is March 31 at the Broomfield Events
Center.
The Arapahoe County Democrats met March 8 at Hinkley High School
in Aurora.
“The assembly was exhilarating to see such a great turnout. I’m
pretty sure that was a record turnout for a Democrat Arapahoe
County assembly,” said Mike Hamrick, chairman of the Arapahoe
County Democrats. “We knew there was a huge amount of interest in
the assembly so we opened registration at 8 a.m., an hour early. It
still took us until after 10 a.m. to get everyone checked
in.”
Katie Powell, a delegate to the assembly, said the hour’s wait
to check in was worth it.
“I have never been involved in politics until this year but I am
excited about what is going on in our state and the country so I
got active and wound up a delegate to the assembly,” the Littleton
woman said. “The assembly was amazing. The atmosphere was electric
and exciting with people supporting their candidate. It was a great
experience and I plan to stay active in local politics.”
One surprise that came out of the assembly was naming Englewood
native Bob McCaslin as the Democratic candidate for State Senate
District 26.
Others selected to represent the party in area races
include:
State House District 36: Su Ryden
State House District 37: Diana Holland
State House District 39: Molly Cullom
Senate District 26: Bob McCaslin
Senate District 27: Nathan Wilken
County commissioners
District 1: Jim Jackman
District 3: Martha Karnoff
District 5: Frank Wedding (incumbent)
The Arapahoe County Republican Assembly met March 1 at West
Middle School in Greenwood Village.
“I felt we accomplished a great deal at the assembly,” said
Centennial Republican Sean Blackman. “Delegates talked about their
candidates and the vote went very well. I am pleased with our slate
of candidates.”
The party nominees are:
State House District 36: Kathy Green
State House District 37: Spencer Swam (incumbent)
State House District 39: David Balmer (incumbent)
Senate District 26; Lauri Clapp and Jerry Call
Senate District 27: Nancy Spence (incumbent)
County commissioners
District 1: Susan Beckman (incumbent)
District 3: Rod Bockenfeld (incumbent)
District 5: Andrew Johnson
303-566-4108 | tmunds@ccnewspapers.com