DENVER — The process Colorado uses to fill vacant state legislative seats has come under scrutiny in recent months, with critics calling for change.
About one in four Colorado state lawmakers first landed their seats through a vacancy committee.
While many have since been elected by voters, critics say their appointment through the vacancy committee process gave them an unfair advantage.
But Colorado leaders say that changing the process is not as simple as it may seem.
The 165,000 people who live in Senate District 29 in Aurora will soon have a new senator.
Monday night, a vacancy committee of just 42 Democrats chose State Rep. Iman Jodeh to replace State Sen. Janet Buckner, who's retiring this week.
Jodeh beat out two other challengers for the appointment.
"I’m beyond honored, and I want to thank everyone for placing your trust in me to be your next state senator,” said Jodeh.
But that's not the only vacant position being filled this month.
Last week, a vacancy committee of Douglas County Republicans chose former CU regent John Carson to replace State Sen. Kevin Van Winkle, who’s resigning to become a Douglas County commissioner.
Tuesday night, a vacancy committee of Denver Democrats will choose the replacement for State Sen. Chris Hansen, who’s resigning to take a new job.
"I think we've hit a critical point where such a large percentage of the general assembly now has gotten their start in a vacancy committee,” said Shad Murib, the chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party.
Murib says he and other party leaders are looking to reform the vacancy process.
"I'm open to any idea that makes these more accessible, more public and puts more guardrails that the public can have insight into,” said Murib.
Hansen said the vacancy committee process allows vacant seats to be filled much more quickly than a special election.
"Some people would like there to be a full election process, and I can understand why, but there's downsides to that," Hansen said. "It's lengthy. You have a long period where there'd be no one in the seat. It's also very expensive, and as folks are probably aware, we've a very tough budget year, and that cost is, you know, potentially could be ten million.”
Colorado Republican Party chairman Dave Williams says that while vacancy committees should allow for larger groups of voters to participate, they’re still “the quickest and least costly way to fill vacancies.”
But critics of the vacancy committee say party insiders have an unfair advantage.
"I've been trying to address this issue. People know it's an issue,” said State Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch. “Do we want to continue playing our incestuous Game of Thrones down there, or do we want to really do some real reform? I think that's something people need to look inside themselves and decide."
Marshall introduced a resolution last year that would ban lawmakers selected by vacancy committees from running for the seat in the next election.
“That will preserve the expectation of everyone that there'd be an open general election in the next session. And if someone wants to serve in the legislature, then they should just wait for that general election,” Marshall said.
Marshall’s resolution, which would have been sent to voters as a ballot measure, never made it off the House floor. But he remains hopeful the process will be changed soon.
According to Ballotpedia, a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia, Colorado is one of just four states that allow party vacancy committees to fill vacant seats. Most states hold special elections or allow the governor to appoint interim replacements.
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