The resignation last week of Sean Conway from the Weld County Board of County Commissioners could set off another round of musical chairs in the Colorado General Assembly.

Conway, who holds an at-large position on the Weld County commission, is in his third and final term. He announced in a letter to the commission on Jan. 6 he would resign, effective Jan. 31, due to his wife’s health challenges. His resignation was first reported by the Greeley Tribune.

Conway’s resignation has set off a chain of events within Weld County that could see some significant shifting of representation within the Colorado General Assembly, in both the House and Senate.

Rep. Perry Buck, R-Greeley, who is term-limited this year, has already filed to run for the at-large seat in November. Conway’s successor will be picked by the five-member Weld County Council. rather than a party vacancy committee. Buck isn’t alone in chasing that seat; Eaton Mayor Kevin Ross is also vying for it.

Should Buck resign, a vacancy committee for House District 49 would seek her replacement. State Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, has already filed to run for that seat. However, Marble has hinted that if Buck takes the Weld County commission seat, she may go after the HD 49 vacancy.

Buck told Colorado Politics that she “absolutely” intends to file for the at-large vacancy. “I’ve always wanted” to serve on the Weld County commission, Buck said. “I would be humbled and honored to come home and serve the people of Weld County.”

Were Marble to leave the Senate for the House, it leaves open the possibility that the Republican Senate caucus would be an all-men’s club.

The 2020 General Assembly has already had two changes, one in the House and the other in the Senate. Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, was selected by a vacancy committee on Dec. 28 to fill the vacancy in House District 64 that was left by the death of Rep. Kimmi Lewis, R-Kim. 

Nine lawmakers — four in the Senate and five in the House — have been seated through vacancy committees in the 2019-20 sessions. 

• Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village: Bridges replaced Sen. Daniel Kagan and has filed for the seat in the 2020 election
• Sen. Mike Foote, D-Longmont: Foote replaced Sen. Matt Jones, who was elected to the Boulder County Commission in 2018. Foote is not running for the seat in November.
• Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Greenwood Village, who replaced Bridges and who has filed for the 2020 election.
• Sen. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins, replaced Sen. John Kefalas, who was elected to the Larimer County Commission in 2018. She has filed to run in November.
• Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, who replaced the late Rep. Kimmi Lewis, R-Kim. He filed for the November election on Jan. 7.
• Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, replaced Ginal. She filed for the November 2020 election in Dec., 2018.
• Sen. Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, replaced Sen. Randy Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs, who resigned at the beginning of the 2019 session. Rankin has filed to run for the seat in November.
• Rep. Perry Will, R-New Castle, replaced Rankin and will run for the seat in November.
• Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley, replaced Rep. Rochelle Galindo, who resigned last May. Young has filed for the seat for the November election.

Last week, Senate President Pro tem Lois Court, D-Denver, announced she would step down, effective Jan. 16, due to a serious autoimmune disorder. Her replacement will be selected Thursday, and while five people have filed for the vacancy, the favorite is Rep. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, who is one of two House representatives on the Joint Budget Committee. 

Should Hansen be selected Thursday night, his JBC seat will need another House Democrat. Three lawmakers have indicated an interest in Hansen’s seat: Reps. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon and Donald Valdez, D-La Jara, who abandoned plans for a run for the Democratic primary for the Third Congressional District last November.

The latest round of musical chairs could start Thursday night. Stay tuned.