The Colorado Republican Party is considering whether to cancel the June 2018 primary elections for Congress, the governor’s office and other offices, and instead nominate candidates through an existing caucus process dominated by insiders. The move is permitted under Proposition 108, a ballot question approved in 2016 that overhauls how major-party candidates are selected in Colorado and allows the state’s 1.4 million unaffiliated voters to cast ballots in either the Republican or Democratic primaries. A caveat in the new law allows political parties to opt out of the new law by a 75 percent vote of its central committee.
Republican Party Chairman Jeff Hays told The Denver Post he will discuss the question Friday, when the party’s executive leadership meets and plans to put the question to a formal vote at the party’s Sept. 23 gathering.
… The Colorado Democratic Party considers the question so ridiculous it’s not even considering a vote on the issue — suggesting it could send the wrong message to voters. “We never had anyone even request that we consider to opt out. That’s how inconceivable it is … to cancel an election,” said Democratic chairwoman Morgan Carroll.
Republican Party leaders share that concern. Given the Democratic Party’s decision, said Jake Viano, the Denver GOP chairman, “it would be political suicide for the Republican Party to opt out.
Full Article: Colorado GOP weighs whether to cancel its 2018 primary election.