Many seniors here at Mead High are aware that they will be of age to vote in the November 2020 Presidential Election. However, the majority are not aware that they may have the chance to vote in the Presidential Primary Election, which will take place in March. 

The Colorado Secretary of State website explains that “every person who is seventeen years of age on the date of a primary election or presidential primary election and who will be eighteen years of age on the date of the next general election is entitled to vote in the primary election or presidential primary election.” Simply stated, anyone who will be 17 years of age in March and 18 years of age by November can vote during the 2020 Presidential Primary Election. 

Any voters affiliated with the major party can “cast a ballot for candidates of the party they are affiliated with”. Any voters affiliated with the minor party are allowed to cast a ballot for that party. If a voter is not affiliated with either party, they “may cast a ballot for any one political party”.

A voter does not have to attend a party caucus meeting to vote in a Presidential Primary Election.

The currently recognized political parties in Colorado include the Democratic Party, Republican Party, American Constitution Party, Approval Voting Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, and Unity Party.

The 2020 Colorado Presidential Primary Election will be held on Mar. 3, and the last day to change your political party was Feb. 3. If you are a 17 year old (who will turn 18 by the 2020 Presidential Election) and are currently unaffiliated, you can still vote in the Presidential Primary Election. You will simply receive two ballots in the mail. You may only return one of the ballots. However, mailing that ballot in does not mean you are officially affiliated with that party.

The 2020 Presidential Election will be held on Nov. 3.

According to 9 News, the Republican candidates that you can vote for in 2020 include Matthew John Matern, Robert Ardini, Joe Walsh, Donald J. Trump, Bill Weld, and Zoltan G. Istvan. 

The Democratic candidates that you can vote for in 2020 include Pete Buttigieg, Cory Booker, Michael R. Bloomberg, Joseph R. Biden, Tulsi Gabbard, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente III, Michael Bennet, Marianne Williamson, Deval Patrick, Robby Wells, Andrew Yang, Rita Krichevsky, and John K. Delaney.

However, Democrats Cory Booker, Deval Patrick, Andrew Yang, Michael Bennet, John K. Delaney, and Marianne Williamson and Republican Joe Walsh have dropped out of the presidential race, but they are still written as options on the ballot.