Colorado Politics

Colorado trailing in turnout competition with Minnesota

While millions of people around the country awaited further results in the presidential election, one thing became clearer on Wednesday morning: Colorado appeared dangerously close to a devastating loss to its electoral rival, Minnesota.

In October, the senior Democratic senators from each state, Michael Bennet and Amy Klobuchar, challenged each other to a turnout-based competition. If Colorado experienced a higher percentage of turnout than Minnesota, Bennet would select a craft beer brewed in the Centennial State for the Klobuchar to drink – and vice versa if the Land of 10,000 Lakes saw more ballots cast.

“Hey, Michael, challenge accepted. But I think you are going to truly regret challenging me and the great state of Minnesota,” Klobuchar said at the time. “That’s because we have such a proud history of significant engagement. We have led the nation in voter turnout in eight of the last nine presidential elections. I think that officially makes us a dynasty.”

The claim to a dynasty solidified on Election Day, as the United States Election Project reported that Colorado experienced 76% turnout, compared to Minnesota’s nearly 83% – the highest in the nation. Iowa, New Hampshire and Wisconsin also unofficially reported higher percentages of ballots cast than Colorado.

A surprise twist occurred in the final days of the election, following a tweet from U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., that indicated a late entry from Big Sky Country.

“Better look out-Montana voters are doing everything they can to ensure we’ll be riding to a #TurnoutChallenge victory,” Tester wrote. “Maybe I’ll suggest a nice pumpkin brew when we celebrate?”

Montana, according to the elections project, had approximately 71% turnout as of Wednesday morning.

U.S. Michael Bennet of Colorado delivered a floor speech Tuesday questioning why William Perry Pendley has not been replaced as interim leader of the Bureau of Land Management based in Grand Junction on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020.
Via YouTube
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