Live updates: Colorado votes in the 2020 General Election

DENVER – Millions of Colorado voters will decide who will be their next U.S. senator and president, congressional and legislative races, 11 statewide ballot questions and more in the 2020 General Election.

Denver7 will have a running live blog of election and voting updates throughout the day Tuesday as voting continues in Colorado and through the General Election after polls close at 7 p.m. and races are decided across the state and country.

We will also have continuous updates throughout the day Tuesday, Wednesday and as races nationwide continue to be tabulated throughout the week on social media and our streaming apps on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Android TV. You can also watch 24/7 Denver7 news coverage in the player below or by clicking here.

More election information: Denver7 Election Guide and Resources | Election 2020 coverage | How you can still vote in Colorado Tuesday | General Election Results (Starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday) | How the AP calls races | What to look for in early results

The newest updates can be found at the top of the blog. Refresh this page for the latest updates. (All times Mountain):

Saturday, Nov. 7

11:38 a.m. | Sen. Bennet releases statement on Biden win

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet released a statement Saturday, congratulating President-Elect Biden and Vice-President-Elect Harris, saying, “With your victory comes the promise that, as a country, we can set aside years of partisan acrimony and get to the hard work of making equality and prosperity our shared purpose.”

“Congratulations to President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris. More citizens voted in this election than ever before. The election was hard fought and fairly won. With your victory comes the promise that, as a country, we can set aside years of partisan acrimony and get to the hard work of making equality and prosperity our shared purpose. I look forward to joining you in this effort.”

11:01 a.m. | People gather in Denver to celebrate Biden victory

Several people in Denver gathered at the State Capitol Building to celebrate former Vice President Joe Biden becoming the president-elect. Celebrations have erupted across the country, including a large gathering in front of the White House.

10:47 a.m. | Denver Mayor Michael Hancock responds to Biden-Harris victory

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, a Democrat, sent the following statement about former Vice President Joe Biden becoming the president-elect:

“Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamal Harris! This was an historic win and historic election. I want to thank everyone for their patience while all the votes were counted, and for the record number of people who exercised their right to vote. This is a victory for hope, decency and the promise of the American people. Come January, the dysfunction will be over. President-elect Biden has faced this type of challenge before, working with President Obama to pull us out of the Great Recession, and he’ll be ready on Day 1 to take the steps needed to get this pandemic under control. He’ll be ready to rebuild our economy and work with Congress to get a stimulus deal that struggling Americans and businesses desperately need right now. He’ll be ready to bring honor and respect back to the White House. This is a new day for our country, and now that the election is over, it’s time for us to come together, to move forward together, and rebuild together.”

10:40 a.m. | Statements from U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, Colorado Senate Dems

We are starting to receive reaction from some of Colorado’s political leaders.

Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO06)

“Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris! America made clear who we are as a nation.

“In electing Joe Biden, a man whose compassion and kindness has defined his service, America made clear who we want to be. The son of Scranton is a man whose life has been defined by struggle, like so many of us. And our nation’s first woman Vice-President, a daughter of immigrants, embodies the hopes and aspirations of our nation.

“We now have the opportunity to come together as a nation to tackle our collective challenges. Make no mistake, there are still tough times and hard work ahead, but I know Joe and Kamala will unite us and help us build back stronger.

“The story of America has always been a story of struggle between competing ideas, traditions, and politics. But out of that competition and struggle we have found a way to move forward.

“I often think back to my time in the Army. The soldiers I served with looked like America. Different backgrounds, races, faiths, and politics. We drew strength from that diversity and found a way to come together to accomplish our mission, and come home together. That is what we must now do.

“Tomorrow the sun will rise on America like it always does. But it will be different. It will be the dawn of a new day for our nation.”

Senate President Leroy Garcia (D-Pueblo)

“With more people voting for Joe Biden than any other presidential candidate in history, this was a historically hard-fought victory. Rather than succumb to fear, hate, and cynicism, people chose to believe that things could change for the better. But this is just the beginning. We are standing at the foot of an enormous challenge that in many ways feels insurmountable. Bringing the country back together will take unparalleled effort, patience, and compassion. But I believe we are up to the task and that President-elect Biden will heal our nation’s divides, despite the damage Trump has done.”

Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder)

“This result gives me so much hope for our future as a state and as a country. Because when we show up for our democracy, when we actually participate in the process, change does happen. So even though the task of healing our country is still incredibly daunting, it’s clear that there is a prevailing spirit of determination. We are determined to withstand the crushing circumstances of the last four years and begin to rebuild a better country.”

10:17 a.m. | The Associated Press calls Nevada for Biden

The AP called Nevada for Joe Biden at 10:13 a.m. MT, handing him the state's six electoral votes.

10:10 a.m. | Statement from Colorado Gov. Jared Polis

Colorado’s Democratic Gov. Jared Polis issued the following statement on Joe Biden becoming the president-elect:

“What makes America extraordinary is that our elections are safe and secure and that the results reflect the will of the people. Every legitimate vote is counted and a winner is declared and we all respect the process. In 2020, Coloradans showed the world that our election system is safe, reliable and our democracy functions at its best when we break down barriers to ensure more people vote. A new dawn is rising in America. Congratulations to President-Elect Biden and Vice-President-Elect Harris on a historic victory in Colorado and across the country and on focusing on what unites us all as Americans. I am excited to work with the Biden-Harris administration to continue building a Colorado for all, and a United States of America for all.

10 a.m. | Pennsylvania and Nevada called for Biden, who becomes president-elect

The Associated Press and ABC News called Pennsylvania and Nevada for Joe Biden on Saturday morning, putting him over the threshold of 270 electoral votes needed to become the president-elect.

“I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris. In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted," Biden said in a statement. "Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America. With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation. It’s time for America to unite. And to heal. We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together.”

We have more news coverage on Biden becoming the president-elect here.

Friday, Nov. 6

1:40 p.m. | Active registered voter turnout reaches 87%

The latest ballot report from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office shows that as of 11:30 p.m. Thursday, 3,311,219 Coloradans had voted out of 3,803,762 active registered Colorado voters – 87% of that population.

That number has crept up slightly since Wednesday and continues to top the 2016 turnout of 86.7% of active registered voters in Colorado.

Counting will continue through Nov. 12, at the end of which is the deadline for military, overseas, and cured ballots to be received.

There will be a statewide risk-limiting audit after all ballots have been counted before results are finalized Nov. 30 if there are no recounts.

Thursday, Nov. 5

6:08 p.m. | Proposition 114 to reintroduce and manage gray wolves in Colorado passes, opposition group and CPW say

The group opposed to Proposition 114 has conceded the race despite it not being called by The Associated Press, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the measure had passed, all but ensuring the measure will prevail once Colorado’s election results are certified later this month.

Proposition 114’s passage means that Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will have to develop a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves west of the Continental Divide.

Though the Associated Press has not formally called the race, one of the groups opposed to the measure's passage, Coloradans Protecting Wildlife, said they had conceded that the measure had been defeated on Thursday afternoon.

“Coloradans Protecting Wildlife stands firm in our belief that the forced introduction of wolves into Colorado is bad policy and should not have been decided by the voters. While the election did not turn out as we had hoped, we are moving forward to continue to educate Coloradans about the importance of this issue,” the group said in a statement. “The election results demonstrate that nearly half of Coloradans agree with us. We hope these election results show proponents, lawmakers and Colorado Parks and Wildlife that next steps must be taken in a measured, responsible way.

As of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, with 91% of precincts reporting, the measure was still separated by about 26,000 votes after nearly 3 million votes on the measure had been tabulated – with the “yes” votes in favor.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife also sent a news release out Thursday afternoon saying the measure had passed and that the planning process for reintroduction would soon get underway.

“Our agency consists of some of the best and brightest in the field of wildlife management and conservation,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Dan Prenzlow. “I know our wildlife experts encompass the professionalism, expertise, and scientific focus that is essential in developing a strategic species management plan. CPW is committed to developing a comprehensive plan and in order to do that, we will need input from Coloradans across our state. We are evaluating the best path forward to ensure that all statewide interests are well represented.”

Coloradans Protecting Wildlife said that it remains concerned about wolf reintroduction but would work to prepare the Western Slope for the animal’s future reintroduction and work to uphold the rights of farmers and ranchers and others impacted by voters’ decision.

The measure’s passage was spurred by voters on the Front Range, who will not have wolves introduced in the area, as it is east of the Continental Divide – something Western Slope voters and 114 opponents had worried might happen throughout the campaign.

As of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the measure was only passing in 13 of Colorado’s 64 counties: Larimer, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Jefferson, El Paso, Summit, Pitkin, San Miguel, San Juan and La Plata.

All but five of those counties sit either fully or almost completely east of the Continental Divide.

The proposition’s likely passage and directive for the commission to develop a management plan could prove newly critical after the Trump administration removed the wolves’ endangered species protections last week, which will go into effect at the beginning of the new year.

Gray wolves were native to Colorado but were hunted to near extinction by the 1940s, with the last Colorado wolf being killed in the middle of that decade. About 6,000 of the animals now live in the Northern Rockies, Pacific Northwest and Western Great Lakes after the federal government reintroduced the wolves in Yellowstone National Park in the mid ‘90s.

Click here to read the full story.

3:18 p.m. | Colorado House Democrats elected majority leadership

Following Tuesday's election, Colorado House Democrats maintained the majority in the House and Thursday elected new majority leadership.

Rep. Alec Garnett, D-Denver, was tapped to serve as Speaker of the Colorado House. Garnett served as the House Majority Leader in the 72nd General Assembly. He'll replace current Speaker KC Becker.

Current Joint Budget Committee Chair Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, will replace Garnett as Majority Leader. She's a founding member and former chair of the Colorado LGBTQ legislative caucus.

Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver, was named to serve as Assistant Majority Leader. Reps. Meg Froelich, D-Littleton, and Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, will continue in their roles as Majority Caucus Co-Chairs.

Reps. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Kyle Mullica, D-Northglenn, will be Majority Caucus Co-Whips.

With 41 members, the caucus will continue to hold the largest Democratic majority since 1965, 68% of whom are women.

1:58 p.m. | Colorado Secretary of States releases latest ballot return numbers

The Secretary of State's Office released the latest tally of ballots, with 3,306,387 counted as of 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The United States Election Project estimates Colorado’s turnout rate among the voting-eligible population grew to 77.1% as of Wednesday, which would top the 2016 record of 71.9%.

Voter data from the Secretary of State's Office showed 86.9% of active registered voters cast a ballot, topping 2016's turnout of the same population of 86.7%.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold said they'll continue until all military, overseas and cured ballots are counted on Nov. 13. Military and overseas ballots can be received through the end of the day on Nov. 12, per state law.

There will be a statewide risk-limiting audit after all ballots have been counted before results are finalized Nov. 30 if there are no recounts.

10:05 a.m. | Explainer: Why the Associated Press called Arizona for Joe Biden

The E.W. Scripps Company is a partner with The Associated Press and has been following guidance from their election desk on 2020 race updates.

Early Wednesday morning, the AP called the state presidential race for Joe Biden. The state is continuing to count ballots, and in the hours since, President Donald Trump has significantly cut into Biden's lead.

On Thursday, the AP executive director Sally Buzbee released the following statement regarding its Arizona projection: "The Associated Press continues to watch and analyze vote count results from Arizona as they come in. We will follow the facts in all cases."

All election results remain unofficial until each state verifies its election count.

Below is the AP's explanation as to how it made the decision to call the state for Biden.

The Associated Press has declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner in Arizona, flipping a longtime GOP state that President Donald Trump won in 2016.

The AP called the race at 2:50 a.m. EST Wednesday, after an analysis of ballots cast statewide concluded there were not enough outstanding to allow Trump to catch up.

With 80% of the expected vote counted, Biden was ahead by 5 percentage points, with a roughly 130,000-vote lead over Trump with about 2.6 million ballots counted. The remaining ballots left to be counted, including mail-in votes in Maricopa County, where Biden performed strongly, were not enough for Trump to catch up to the former vice president.

Arizona has a long political history of voting Republican. It's the home state of Barry Goldwater, a five-term, conservative senator who was the Republican nominee for president in 1964. John McCain, the party's 2008 presidential nominee, represented the state in Congress from 1983 until his 2018 death.

But changing demographics, including a fast-growing Latino population and a boom of new residents — some fleeing the skyrocketing cost of living in neighboring California — have made the state friendlier to Democrats.

Many of the gains have been driven by the shifting politics of Maricopa County, which is home to Phoenix and its suburbs. That's where Biden sealed his victory. Maricopa County accounts for 60% of the state's vote, and Biden ran up huge margins there.

In 2016, Trump carried the county by 4 percentage points, which helped propel him to a win. But two years later, Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema flipped the seat from Republican control by winning the county by 5 points.

When the AP called the race for Biden, he was leading there by 9 percentage points.

Biden flipping Arizona is a sign of Democrats' ascendant influence in the state.

In 2018, Sinema became the first Democrat in three decades to win a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona. Democrats also won three statewide offices and five of nine congressional seats and made gains in the state legislature that year.

In 2016, voters ousted Republican Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County's hardline sheriff, who built a national profile on his harsh treatment of immigrants.

Wednesday, Nov. 4

6:48 p.m. | “Historic” election turnout in Colorado

The latest official tally of ballots counted so far from the Secretary of State’s Office tops 3.3 million as of 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, which represents 86.8% of active registered voters and 78.4% of all registered Colorado voters.

The United States Election Project estimates Colorado’s turnout rate among the voting-eligible population is 76% as of Wednesday afternoon, which would top the 2016 record of 71.9%.

The Secretary of State’s Office said that the 86.8% turnout among active registered voters would top 2016’s turnout among that population of 86.7%, and the rate among all registered voters of 78.4% already beats the 2016 rate of 74.3%.

There remain ballots to be counted from Tuesday's election in Colorado, and military and overseas voters' ballots can be received through the end of the day on Nov. 12 for counting, per state law. There will be a statewide risk-limiting audit after all ballots have been counted before results are finalized Nov. 30 if there are no recounts.

“This is an historic election. More Coloradans voted in this election than in any previous election in our state’s history, even in the midst of a pandemic,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement. “I am proud of Colorado’s elections and the voting access that we have added over the last two years. I also commend the county election officials, election judges, and the employees of the Department of State for doing such a tremendous job.”

6:38 p.m. | Colorado voters approve Amendment 76, which tweaks constitution to say 'only a citizen' may vote

Colorado voters have agreed to make a tweak to the state constitution to note that “only a citizen” may vote in an election – changing it from language that said “every citizen” can vote.

Amendment 76 required 55% of voters’ approval and received 63%, compared to37% who were opposed to the measure, with 88% of the votes counted as of Wednesday evening. The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday.

Colorado’s constitution reads, “Every citizen of the United States who has attained the age of eighteen years, has resided in this state for such time as may be prescribed by law, and has been duly registered as a voter if required by law shall be qualified to vote in all elections.”

But now that Amendment 76 has passed, it will read, “Only a citizen of the United States…”.

Proponents of Amendment 76 said they pushed the measure onto this year’s ballot because they worry that non-citizens, who are not currently allowed to vote in elections, could be allowed to do so in the future.

It has not happened in Colorado, but some other local municipalities around the country,such as in San Francisco with its school board, have allowed non-citizens to vote.

Opponents of Amendment 76 said previously it was working to solve a problem that does not exist, and ahead of the election decried the out-of-state financial influence on the Pro-76 side, which comes from a national movement from a Florida nonprofit called Citizen Voters Inc.

Click here to read the full story.

5:37 p.m. | Colorado voters approve Proposition 113 to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact

Colorado voters affirmed the state legislature’s 2019 decision to join the state in theNational Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which means that the nationwide popular vote could someday decide who wins the American presidency.

That would only be the case if enough states join the compact to account for more than 270 electoral votes, at which time those presidential electors would all cast their vote for the candidate who won the popular vote nationwide.

The Associated Press called the race Wednesday afternoon, with 52% of Coloradans voting in favor of Proposition 113’s passage, compared to 48% who voted against it, with 87% of precincts reporting and more than 2.8 million ballots counted in the race.

With the measure's passage, Colorado and 14 other states, along with the District of Columbia, have joined the compact, accounting for 196 electoral votes.

Last year, Colorado’s legislature passed a bill to sign the state onto the compact. But this year, opponents of the idea were able to garner enough petition signatures to put a referendum on the ballot for voters to have the final say.

“The National Popular Vote is a very straightforward concept. One person should always equal one vote and the presidential candidate who gets the most votes should win the election,” said state Sen. Mike Foote, one of the legislative sponsors of the 2019 bill and a proponent of Prop. 113. “We are two-thirds of the way to changing how we elect the President for the better. We hope the results in Colorado will go a long way in convincing other states to come on board with the National Popular Vote too.”

Click here to read the full story.

4 p.m. | Associated Press calls Michigan for Biden

The Associated Press has also called Michigan for Joe Biden after ABC News did so an hour ago. The AP's map now has Biden leading Trump with 264 electoral votes, to Trump's 214.

3 p.m. | ABC News calls Michigan for Biden

ABC News projects that Joe Biden will win Michigan, which would put him at 253 electoral votes after Wisconsin was projected in his favor earlier Wednesday.

2:20 p.m. | Biden confident in afternoon statement

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden would not declare victory Wednesday afternoon, but he expressed confidence in his election status, with narrow leads in Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada and Arizona, all crucial states in the race for 270 electoral votes.

Biden said, "It's clear that we're winning enough states to reach 270 electoral votes."

"I'm not here to declare we've won," Biden said. "But I am here to report that when the count is finished, we believe we will be the winners."

Biden also expressed confidence in his chances in Pennsylvania, where he was still trailing Wednesday afternoon but also where thousands of ballots had not yet been counted in Philadelphia.

9:51 a.m. | Titone claims win over Pyne in Colorado House District 27

Representative Brianna Titone has claimed victory in the race for Colorado House District 27, though the race has not officially been called.

In a tweet just before 9 a.m. Titone said her opponent, Vicki Pyne, called to congratulate her. She's received 49% of the vote and Pyne has 46% with 96% of precincts reporting.

Titone made history in 2018 by becoming the first openly transgender lawmaker in Colorado. Titone, who earned a BA in Physics and BS in Geology in New York, served as a volunteer firefighter before moving to Colorado to work as a geologist, mining consultant and substitute teacher, according to her biography.

7:22 a.m. | Republican Lauren Boebert officially declared winner in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District

The Associated Press officially named Republican Lauren Boebert the winner for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District at 7:20 a.m.

Boebert declared victory before the race was called around 11:40 p.m. Tuesday. Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush conceded in a statement early Wednesday.

7:17 a.m. | Jeffco finishes counting 99% of ballots

Jefferson County finished counting ballots received by 7 p.m. on election night for the fourth election in a row.

According to Jeffco election officials, the county received 377,643 ballots, representing an estimated 99% of ballots cast in the election. Election officials estimate the approximately 1% remaining ballots will arrive in the next week from military and overseas voters, as well as voters whose ballots were initially rejected. They have nine days to fix the issue. Some ballots cast using a drop box in a different county will also be counted, as long as they were dropped before 7 p.m. on Election Day.

“Accuracy, not speed, is always our chief objective in counting votes, but thanks to our 600 bipartisan election judges, we have again achieved both this election,” Jeffco Clerk and Recorder George Stern said.

Jeffco will break its previous record for general election participation with an estimated 90% voter turnout of active, registered voters. The previous record was set in 2016 at 88%. More than 85% of voters submitted their ballots early and approximately 5% voted in person. Jeffco more than doubled their drop boxes in the last two years from 15 to 36, which was the choice the vast majority of their voters used to cast their ballots.

“We could not have finished counting this quickly without our voters, who returned their ballots early in overwhelming numbers,” Stern said. “We are thrilled that they turned out at historic levels, and grateful that they listened to our calls to do so early, allowing them and us to avoid lines and delayed results.”

The counting process will be finished next week. The next step is a statewide audit to ensure the accuracy of the results, which will be certified in consultation with members of both political parties.

6:45 a.m. | Denver voters overwhelmingly pass ballot measure to repeal pit bull ban

DENVER, Colo. — Voters in Denver overwhelmingly voted to pass Ballot Measure 2J to lift the city's more than 30-year-old ban on pit bulls.
Ballot Measure 2J passed with 64.5% voting to lift the ban and 35.5% voting to keep the ban in place.

Passing the measure will allow the city to grant a provisional permit to pit bull owners as long as the owner microchips the animal and complies with additional requirements set by Denver Animal Protection.

Click here to read the full story.

1:45 a.m. | Diane Mitsch Bush concedes Colorado's 3rd Congressional District race to Lauren Boebert

Rifle restaurateur and Republican political newcomer Lauren Boebert will be Colorado’s next 3rd Congressional District congresswoman after her Democratic opponent Diane Mitsch Bush conceded just after midnight Wednesday morning.

Boebert declared victory in a Facebook Live video late Tuesday, though the Associated Press, which Denver7 relies on for race calls, had not called the race for Boebert.

In the video, Boebert thanked her supporters and said it was “an incredible honor and privilege” to win the race and become the “first mom” to serve the district.

Just after midnight, Mitsch Bush conceded in a statement by thanking her supporters, staff and volunteers.

“The voters have spoken. I did not get enough votes to win,” she wrote in the statement. “…Let’s remember that so much more unites us than divides us.”

Click here to read the full story.

1 a.m. | Trump falsely claims victory, wants "all voting to stop"

President Trump in a news conference from the White House early Wednesday falsely claimed victory in the election and said the process was “a fraud on the American public” and an “embarrassment to our country,” despite votes still being tallied in crucial battleground states.

Trump told reporters he would be going to the Supreme Court, saying he wanted "all voting to stop" as he didn't want election officials "to find any ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning."

Trump said he would be going to the Supreme Court to dispute the vote tabulations, saying he wants to “ensure integrity” in the voting process and that he did not want election officials “to find any ballot at 4 a.m.”

Trump said it was “clear we have won Georgia,” though vote counts in the Atlanta area were put on hold late Tuesday night and would resume Wednesday morning.

He said his campaign was winning Pennsylvania by a “tremendous amount of votes,” but a large number of votes in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia area had gone uncounted as of Wednesday morning.

Trump said his campaign had planned to “get outside and celebrate something that was so beautiful, so good,” and he touted victories in Florida, Ohio and Texas.

Toward the end of his news conference, Trump falsely claimed, "Frankly, we did win this election."

That statement is wrong. Millions of votes are still being counted in key states.

Tuesday, Nov. 3

11:40 p.m. | Boebert declares victory, Mitsch Bush concedes in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District

Republican candidate for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District Lauren Boebert declared victory over Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush Tuesday night, and Mitsch Bush conceded in a statement early Wednesday.

Boebert was leading Mitsch Bush 51%-46% with 89% of precincts reporting as of 11:40 p.m.

Boebert posted on Twitter: "Freedom wins! Thank you so much. This is a great victory for freedom and prosperity."

"The voters have spoken," Mitsch Bush posted in a statement. "I did not get enough votes to win."

10:55 p.m. | Proposition 116 approved

Colorado's Proposition 116 to lower the state income tax has been approved, according to the Associated Press. "Yes" votes on the measure led "No" votes 57%-43% with 83% of precincts reporting shortly before 11 p.m.

Proposition 116 asks voters whether they would like to decrease the state’s income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55%. Colorado has held the same rate for income taxes since 2000.

10:15 p.m. | Amendment B to repeal Gallagher Amendment is approved

Colorado's Amendment B — which would repeal the Gallagher Amendment, a measure meant to keep residential property tax rates lower than the rates paid by non-residential property owners — has been approved, according to the Associated Press. "Yes" votes on Amendment B led "No" votes 58%-42% with 82% of precincts reporting around 10:20 p.m.

Amendment B’s passage repeals the amendment, meaning that the 45%-55% ratio, which requires residential properties to pay 45% of the state’s property tax share and non-residential properties to pay 55% of the share, will no longer be intact.

When the amendment was originally passed, the residential assessment rate was set at 21%, but it has been adjusted every two years to keep the 45-55 ratio intact and currently sits at 7.15%, with another expected drop to 5.88%, as residential property values increased in Colorado’s urban areas but not as much in rural areas.

Because of the repeal, the reference to the original 21% rate is also repealed, except for producing mines and lands or leases that are producing oil or gas.

10:05 p.m. | All six incumbent members of U.S. House win re-election in Colorado

Colorado’s six incumbent members of the House of Representatives who were up for re-election in Tuesday’s General Election handily won their races, with the 3rd Congressional District race still too close to call as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Rep. Diana DeGette, the Democratic representative for Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, was declared the winner shortly after polls closed. As of Tuesday night, with 68% of precincts reporting, DeGette led Republican Shane Bolling (22%) and Libertarian Kyle Furey (2%).

In the 2nd Congressional District, incumbent Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse was beating Republican Charlie Winn 63% to 35%, with 2% of the vote for Libertarian Thom Atkinson.

In the 4th Congressional District, incumbent Republican Rep. Ken Buck, who is also currently the Colorado GOP chairman, defeated Democrat Ike McCorkle 60%-30% as of 9:40 p.m., with 83% of precincts reporting.

In Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, incumbent Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn won another term, defeating Democrat Jillian Freeland 57%-39%, with Libertarian Ed Duffett garnering about 3% of the vote.

6th Congressional District incumbent Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., also won re-election, defeating former Colorado GOP Chairman Steve House 58%-40%, with 81% of precincts reporting.

And Rep. Ed Perlmutter, the Democratic incumbent in Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, also won re-election, defeating Republican Casper Stockham 60%-37%, with 89% of precincts reporting.

9:55 p.m. | Proposition 118 approved

Colorado's Proposition 118, which would create an insurance program to allow employees to take time off for family leave, has been approved, according to the Associated Press. "Yes" votes on the ballot initiative led "No" votes 57%-43% with 82% of precincts reporting shortly before 10 p.m.

Proposition 118 will require employers to provide their employees up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave each year starting in 2024. It also will allow for an additional four weeks if that person has a serious pregnancy-related health condition or childbirth complications. The PFML program means that the employee could take up to 12 weeks off without losing their job.

Starting Jan. 1, 2023, employers and employees would start to contribute a payroll premium to finance the program.

The following January, benefits would start being distributed and employees could start taking the time off. Employees would be eligible for the benefits after they have earned at least $2,500 in wages and for added job protections from being fired if they have been with their employer for at least 180 days.

9:50 p.m. | Amendment 77 approved

Colorado's Amendment 77, which will give more local control for casino gaming, has been approved, according to the Associated Press. "Yes" votes on the initiative led "No" votes 60%-40% with 81% precincts reporting shortly before 10 p.m.

9:05 p.m. | Proposition EE approved

Colorado's Proposition EE, which would gradually raise tobacco taxes in the state and apply to vaping products, has been approved, according to the Associated Press.

"Yes" votes on the initiative were leading "No" votes 69%-31% with 81% of precincts reporting around 9:10 p.m.

Proposition EE would raise the price of a pack of cigarettes from its current tax of 84 cents per pack to $2.64 per pack by the year 2027.

It would also increase the tax on tobacco products from their current level of 40% to a new rate of 62% by 2027.

Vaping products would also need to start paying taxes. Currently they are not facing a tobacco tax. Prop. EE would raise the tax to 62% by 2027.

8:45 p.m. | Proposition 115 fails

Colorado's Proposition 115, which would have banned abortions after 22 weeks, has failed, according to a projection from ABC News. "No" votes on the ballot initiative were leading "yes" votes 60%-40% with 76% of precincts reporting around 8:45 p.m.

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains Action Fund President and CEO Vicki Cowart released a statement Tuesday evening praising Coloradans’ decision.

"Today, we can proudly confirm that Colorado remains a safe haven for access to the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion care. Once again, Colorado voters confirmed what we have always known: that health care decisions belong between a patient and their health care provider, without political interference,” Cowart said.

The rejection of Proposition 115 means abortions will continue to be legal at any time during a woman’s pregnancy in Colorado, with a restriction which specifies that the parents or guardians of a minor seeking an abortion must receive written notification about the procedure at least 48 hours in advance.

8:30 p.m. | Lamborn wins reelection to Congress

Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn has won reelection to Colorado's U.S. House District 5, defeating Democrat challenger Jillian Freeland, according to the Associated Press. Lamborn led Freeland 56%-40% with 74% of precincts reporting around 8:30 p.m.

8:20 p.m. | Buck wins reelection to Congress

Republican Rep. Ken Buck has won reelection to Colorado's U.S. House District 4, defeating Democrat challenger Ike McCorkle, according to the Associated Press. Buck led McCorkle 60%-37% with 63% of precincts reporting around 8:20 p.m.

8:10 | Hickenlooper in victory speech: "Your voice is loud and clear"

Former Gov. John Hickenlooper in his Senate victory speech over Republican incumbent Cory Gardner said Coloradans' voices were heard "loud and clear" in a year of record voter turnout.

Hickenlooper called Washington D.C. "a broken mess" but vowed to "work my heart out for the state that I love."

He also thanked Gardner for his campaign.

"I want to say to everyone who voted for [Gardner]: I will be your senator as well," Hickenlooper said.

Hickenlooper led Gardner 55%-43% with 75% of precincts reporting around 8:15 p.m.

8:05 p.m. | Neguse wins reelection to Congress

Democrat Rep. Joe Neguse has won reelection to Colorado's U.S. House District 2, defeating Republican challenger Charlie Winn, according to the Associated Press. Neguse was leading Winn 63%-35% with 75% of precincts reporting around 8:05 p.m.

8 p.m. | Crow wins reelection to Congress

Democrat Rep. Jason Crow has won reelection to Colorado's U.S. House District 6, defeating Republican challenger Steve House, according to the Associated Press. Crow led House 58%-39% with 80% of precincts reporting around 8 p.m.

7:55 p.m. | Perlmutter wins reelection to Congress

Democrat Rep. Ed Perlmutter has won reelection to Colorado's U.S. House District 7, defeating Republican challenger Charles Stockham, according to the Associated Press. Perlmutter led Stockham 60%-37% with 86% of precincts reporting, as of 7:55 p.m.

7:40 p.m. | Hickenlooper defeats Gardner for U.S. Senate seat, per ABC News

ABC News has called the Colorado Senate race for former Gov. John Hickenlooper, who led Republican incumbent Cory Gardner 57%-41% with 52% of precincts reporting around 7:40 p.m.

Gardner tweeted about 7:40 p.m: "It has been such an honor serving the people of Colorado in the Senate for the past 6 years."

With Hickenlooper’s election, Colorado will soon be represented by Democrats in both U.S. Senate seats, the governor’s office, secretary of state’s office, attorney general’s office and state treasurer’s office – the top statewide elected offices.

The result in Colorado’s Senate race is not unexpected. Gardner narrowly defeated Democrat Mark Udall for the seat in 2014, a strong year for Republicans, and the state has voted more consistently for Democrats in the years since.

Gardner’s support for President Donald Trump also hurt him in the state. While Gardner did not vote for Trump in 2016 and said he would stand up to his own party when it was the right time, he and Trump eventually endorsed one another for re-election and campaigned together in February.

7:25 p.m. | Biden wins Colorado, per ABC News

ABC News has called the Colorado race for Joe Biden, who jumped out to a big lead over President Trump shortly after polls closed. Biden was leading Trump about 60%-38% with 39% of Colorado precincts reporting, as of 7:25 p.m.

Biden will receive nine electoral votes for the Colorado victory over Trump.

The call on Biden’s victory had been mostly expected in a state that Trump lost by five points to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and which has only turned bluer in the years since.

Biden had also led Trump by wide margins in polling in Colorado in recent days and weeks – often by double-digit margins.

7:15 p.m. | DeGette wins U.S. House re-election

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Denver) has won re-election to Colorado's 1st Congressional District over Republican challenger Shane Bolling, according to the Associated Press. At the time AP called the race, DeGette was leading Bolling 77%-21% with 61% of precincts reporting.

7:05 p.m. | Biden up big over Trump in initial Colorado voting results

Colorado's voting turnout, as of 5 p.m., was at 3,145,626 ballots, according to the Secretary of State's office. That surpasses Colorado's 2016 turnout of 2,855,257.

The initial results at 7 p.m. showed Biden leading Trump 492,301 (65.36%) to 245,090 (32.54%). These results will be updated throughout the night.

7 p.m. | Polls close in Colorado

Polls have closed in Colorado. Final turnout numbers were not immediately available. Earlier Tuesday, Secretary of State Jena Griswold reported 3,104,807 ballots cast by 4 p.m., with the polls still open for another three hours.

We'll post elections updates here as we get them.

5:05 p.m. | Musicians help ease stress during Election Day

For many people across the country and Colorado, this election is accompanied by angst and uncertainty. For that reason, across 48 states, musicians headed out to the polls to play in front of voters casting their ballot.

"It’s incredibly important to support our community in this way and in Colorado so many people have already voted but even if the polls are a little quieter today than normal because of early voting, music has this amazing power to bring people together," said Psyche Dunkhase.

Read our full story here.

5 p.m. | Colorado ballots up to 3,104,807

Colorado's voting turnout was up to 3,104,807 ballots by 4 p.m., with polls open for another three hours, according to Secretary of State Jena Griswold.

2:25 p.m. | New voter total numbers in Colorado

Secretary of State Jena Griswold said as of noon Tuesday, 3,003,907 ballots have been returned in Colorado. The turnout rate is 79.5%.

1:40 p.m. | Power restored to Aurora voting center

Arapahoe County says power has been restored to the Martin Luther King Jr. Library in Aurora.

1:07 p.m. | Aurora power outages impacts voting center

A power outage at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library in Aurora is expected to be resolved soon, according to Arapahoe County officials. The nearest voting center to the library is the Community College of Aurora, at 710 Alton Way. Click here for a list of Arapahoe County voting centers.

The outage is due to a transformer fire on pole at 1300 Peoria Street. While the fire has already been extinguished, power is temporarily out for nearby customers. The outage is affecting 5,000 customers.

12:23 p.m. | Denver turnout reaches 75.7%

According to the Denver Elections Division, 75.7% of registered voters in Denver had voted as of noon Tuesday. In total, that's 349,129 ballots cast already.

11:30 a.m. | Colorado surpasses voter turnout from 2016

During a press conference about the latest on voter turnout, Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced that as of 10 a.m., more people had voted in the 2020 General Election in Colorado than all voters in the 2016 election.

So far, 76.6% of all active, registered voters in Colorado have already cast their ballots. Griswold said this is very high and exciting for the state. That turnout equates to 2,893,395 total votes — 930,452 from registered Democrats, 833,215 from registered Republicans, and 1,088,369 from unaffiliated voters, she said.

Griswold said Colorado has 380 drop boxes across the state and 340 open voting centers.

Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder George Stern was on the press call as well and said they are seeing record turnout in Jefferson County. As of the end of the day Monday, 79% of active, registered voters had turned in their ballots — a large increase from 70% that was reported at that time in 2016, he said.

Stern said the county has twice as many drop boxes now than they did just two years ago.

6:35 a.m. | Election Day morning update with Secretary of State Jena Griswold

More than 2.8 million Coloradans have voted as of 11:30 p.m. Monday, Griswold said during a brief morning check-in with Denver7. She said this puts us just 20,000 votes short of all votes cast in the 2016 presidential election.

Anybody who plans to vote in person today should wear a mask, she said. Election judges are required to wear a mask, social distance and sanitize the voting equipment.

COVID-19 aside, Griswold said Colorado is the "gold standard" for having safe, secure and accessible elections.

“Our system is so safe because we use a voter-verified paper ballot," she said. "Paper ballots, of course, are much more resistant to cyberattacks because they can’t be hacked.”

Those who vote in person and use the voting machines can rest assured knowing the machines are not connected to the internet, she said.

Griswold said they are expecting to be able to report 70-80% of results by Tuesday evening. But the final tally won't come until at least Wednesday, if not later.

"Election night results are never final results," she said.

The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. today.

Monday, Nov. 2

10:40 p.m. | 2 filmed people dropping ballots in Arapahoe Co.

Elections officials reported Monday that two men were set up outside an Arapahoe County building in Littleton filming people as they dropped off their ballots in the drop box, and one of the men had a gun in a holster at his side.

The men were standing within 100 feet of the ballot box in Littleton and some voters said they felt intimidated, according to Arapahoe County Elections Director Peg Perl. Police were called to respond to the incident, as first reported by CPR. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office referred the report to the attorney general’s office for investigation.

Click here to read more.

10 p.m. | College student flies back to Colorado to vote

A Colorado college student living in North Carolina flew back to the state just to vote when his ballot did not arrive in time.

"It just became very clear that there was only one way our child was going to be able to vote and that is if you came here to vote," said Jonas Asner's mother, Lisa Hall.

Asner flew from North Carolina to Colorado Sunday night, voted Monday and flies back Tuesday morning.

"It was definitely cool to vote in my first presidential elections as a milestone in my life," Asner said.

Click here to read more.

9:30 p.m. | Things to watch for on Election Day

As voters watch the news and election night coverage, here are a few things to pay attention to when it comes to the results.

When will we start to see election results?

Right after the polls close at 7 p.m. in Colorado, counties will start to release some initial voting results. Those results are a tabulation of the early voting and other ballots that have already been counted.

Colorado allows election headquarters to begin the sorting, signature verification and counting process to begin 15 days before the election. However, those votes have not been tabulated so no one knows which way the election is leaning.

“As soon as 7 p.m. hits, everybody gets their finger ready to push, send the results to our centralized system, and that will happen just like normal, so shortly after 7 p.m. as quickly as we can upload the information coming from the counties, we will start pushing out results,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.

She estimates that about 70 to 80% of all the votes cast will be able to be reported on election night because of Colorado’s counting process.

Some states lagging behind in reporting

While Colorado allows the votes cast during early voting to be sorted, verified and counted before Election Day, some states do not follow the same process.

Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan do not allow the early ballots to be counted until right around Election Day.

“Others have to start the process, particularly the counting, either on the day of the election or after the polls are closed, which means that since we have so many early ballots this year, a lot of states are going to be swamped just on the process of counting those ballots that have already come in by mail,” said Robert Preuhs, a political science professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

These elections could be the holdup to finding out who will win the presidency; because of the process, even the unofficial results still need to go through.

Unofficial versus official results

Throughout election night, the term "unofficial election results" will be repeated over and again. The final results must be certified before becoming official, which is a process that will likely take about two weeks.

Between Election Day and the final results, counties will finish up counting votes. Absentee ballots as well as those coming from the military or overseas will have nine days after Election Day to come in and be counted as well.

Voters who had signature discrepancies will also have nine days this time around to cure those errors in order for their votes to be counted.

Provisional ballots will also be dealt with during that time. County clerks are also required to do audits of the election results before they can be certified and finalized.

“Election night results are never final results. There’s a lot of things that happen after the election here in Colorado, including the continued processing of ballots,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.

A possible swing left at first

Because Democrats have returned more early ballots than Republicans, when the initial unofficial election results come out, they could favor one side at first and then change as more results come in.

“In really tight races we may go to bed with half of the votes counted seemingly up in the air or perhaps even a benefit for President Trump, and that might switch over the next couple of days as the ballots are counted,” said Robert Preuhs, a political science professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

However, those early results shouldn’t affect the overall results of races depending on the total outcome of voters.

Depending on how close the election is, Preuhs says it could take weeks to get a final result.

Disinformation campaigns

In the days leading up to and after the election, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold is warning about bad actors attempting to spread disinformation, causing people to question the results or even tamper with the results.

“Federal authorities have warned that the risk of foreign interference increases on the days right before the election,” Griswold said. “We do face foreign adversaries who are trying to undermine confidence in the electoral process, specifically and particularly in the results.”

The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office has set up the Rapid Response Election Security Cyber Unit (RESCU) team to quickly respond to any reports of fraud and to monitor the election.

Governor Jared Polis also issued an executive order Monday for a Colorado National Guard cyber team with six soldiers and two airmen to work with the Secretary of State’s Office to offer an additional layer of protection.

The National Guard has partnered with the Secretary of State’s Office during the previous several elections to help.

The office is warning people not to believe everything they see on the internet or on social media in the days right before and after the election unless it comes from a trusted source.

6:16 p.m. | More than 2.7 million ballots returned

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, 2.76 million Colorado voters had cast their ballot. Based on the current trend, more than 2.9 million Coloradans will likely cast a vote, which would equate to an 82% voter turnout.

As of 4 pm. Monday, Democrats had turned in 126,000 more ballots than Republicans.

Data from September shows the percentage of Republican registered voters has dropped a full 10% during the past 16 years. During that same time, the Democrat numbers have generally been unchanged, dropping just 1%. Meanwhile, unaffiliated voters grew 10%, representing the highest percentage in the state.

Click here for more on the latest Colorado turnout trends.

2:08 p.m. | Still time to vote in Colorado

Haven’t voted yet in Colorado? There remains time to do so all the way up through 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

At this point, it’s too late to mail your completed ballot in. You will need to drop your ballot off at a designated drop off site or drop-box in your county of residence. Your ballot must be in the box by 7 p.m. Tuesday for it to count. Find the closest drop box in your county here.

Even if you haven’t registered or want to vote in-person, you still have up to 7 p.m. on Election Day to do so. You can cast your ballot and/or register at your local voter service and polling center. Find your local voting center here. Keep in mind that if you try to register to vote Tuesday and you don't have a verifiable ID, you may vote a provisional ballot.

If you plan on voting in-person, keep these Colorado election rules in mind. Voters who are in line at their polling location by 7 p.m. are allowed to vote no matter how long it takes for each person to cast his or her ballot.

Click here for more.