The Colorado Rules

Both parties in Colorado have set their caucuses for Super Tuesday (Feb. 5), but they are likely to be overshadowed by higher-profile primary balloting among the plethora of other states that are scheduled to vote the same day. State Democrats and Republicans have similar processes: a four-tier caucus that culminates with the selection of national convention delegates in the spring. Colorado Democrats, like their counterparts in many other states, will take a presiden-tial preference vote Feb. 5 that will set the direction of their caucuses process. Meanwhile, Colorado Republicans are expected to hold a nonbinding straw vote for president in conjunction with their precinct caucuses.

Voter participation is limited to registered voters in each party. As of August 2007, there were 2,839,139 registered voters in Colorado—998,879 Republicans, 860,407 Democrats, and 979,792 independent and third-party voters.