DENVER — The chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party issued a statement calling for reform of the vacancy process after two Democratic state senators issued their resignations Thursday.
Democratic Senators Janet Buckner and Chris Hansen issued letters of resignation just weeks after winning re-election in their districts. The two will vacate their Senate seats on Jan. 9, 2025, the day after the next legislative session begins.
According to our partners at The Denver Post, Buckner has served in the legislature since 2015, when she was selected to replace her husband, state Rep. John Buckner, after his death. She was first elected to the Senate in 2020.
Buckner won her re-election in State Senate District 29, which includes Arapahoe County, on Nov. 5 after running unopposed. In a statement to The Denver Post, the state senator said she must prioritize her family and health after a "personally challenging year."
Hansen served two full terms in the state House before moving to the Senate in early 2020 via a vacancy committee, The Denver Post reports. He won his re-election in State Senate District 31, which includes central and east Denver, after receiving an overwhelming 84% of the vote against his opponent, Libertarian David Aitken.
Last week, Durango-based La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) announced Hansen would serve as its next chief executive officer (CEO).
Since the two state senators are resigning after the start of the next legislative session, new senators will be chosen by vacancy committees and will serve two years. A general election will then be held in each district in 2026 to fill the remaining two years of the terms.
The Colorado Democratic Party said the District 31 vacancy committee will convene in early January. The District 29 vacancy committee will announce its meeting date "as soon as possible," according to the party.
According to The Denver Post, this time last year, nearly a quarter of the 100-member General Assembly had been appointed through a vacancy committee at some point in their legislative careers. In a statement Thursday, Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Shad Murib criticized the vacancy process, saying the growing number of politicians serving in office under such a process "should concern every Coloradan."
"Regardless of the high standards we place on ourselves to run as great a vacancy committee process as law allows, the fact remains that vacancy committees are small and don’t provide for the same type of public input and scrutiny as a traditional election," Murib said.
Murib concluded his statement by saying the Colorado Democratic Party "is committed to running a neutral process for these vacancy committees, and will strive to ensure that every candidate is treated fairly and has to vigorously compete to serve."
Full statement:
"We thank Senator Hansen and Senator Buckner for exemplary leadership in cutting the cost of living, boosting funding for public schools and taking care of our teachers, and helping Colorado create good-paying jobs in the renewable energy economy. The State is eternally grateful to them for such valuable and dedicated service. Janet and Chris are passionate and admirable leaders who will be missed.
The Democratic Party places a high premium on transparency, accountability, and public access to the vacancy process, and I’m proud of the high standards we place on ourselves to run a fair process according to the law. The people who have entered office through our process are qualified and valuable representatives of their districts, as evidenced by the many reelections they have enjoyed.
However, the growing number of senators and representatives of both parties serving in office as a result of vacancy committee selections and not traditional elections should concern every Coloradan, and it certainly concerns me. Regardless of the high standards we place on ourselves to run as great a vacancy committee process as law allows, the fact remains that vacancy committees are small and don’t provide for the same type of public input and scrutiny as a traditional election. In some cases, vacancies have preempted vigorous primary campaigns that allow Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated voters to choose Party nominees without anyone having the advantage of incumbency.
Colorado law and our state’s unique and prohibitive budget restrictions provide real logistical concerns regarding reform, including cost and the potential for districts to go unrepresented for months. Because of this, we have been hesitant to entertain conversations about transitioning to special elections or reforming this process. But, the time is now to consider ways to make this process better.
Speculation that lawmakers strategize their resignations to hand-pick their replacements, or climb the ladder of elected office, is also a growing sentiment among the public. While we have worked hard to prevent this from ever occurring, it is incumbent on us to do everything we can to bolster trust in our democracy by acknowledging and addressing this issue proactively.
The Colorado Democratic Party is committed to running a neutral process for these vacancy committees, and will strive to ensure that every candidate is treated fairly and has to vigorously compete to serve.”
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