Colorado voters to decide Hickenlooper-Baisley Senate race

Six candidates are on Colorado's ballot for U.S. Senate as polls close at 7 p.m. Mountain time Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper, 74, is seeking a second term. Republican state Sen. Mark Baisley, 71, of Woodland Park is the primary challenger. Four minor-party candidates round out the field. The winner serves a six-year term.

No results will be available until after polls close. Election-night totals are unofficial and will not be certified for weeks.

How the race got here

Hickenlooper won the Democratic primary in June, defeating state Sen. Julie Gonzales, according to CPR News. Baisley ran unopposed in the Republican primary, CPR reported.

Before his 2020 Senate win over Republican Sen. Cory Gardner, Hickenlooper served as Colorado's governor from 2011 to 2019 and as Denver's mayor from 2003 to 2011, according to the Colorado Sun. He was a restaurateur before entering politics.

Baisley has served in the Colorado Legislature since 2019, according to CPR News. He was elected to the state Senate in 2022 and represents the 4th Senate District, which includes parts of Douglas, Chaffee and Fremont counties, according to 9NEWS. Before politics, Baisley worked in technology, aerospace and defense, including at Raytheon and Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin), the Colorado Sun reported.

Where they stand

Tariffs and taxes: Hickenlooper told the Colorado Sun he opposes tariffs, calling them "a significant drag on our economy" that have been "especially harmful to ranchers and farmers." Baisley told the Sun he favors tariffs and wants them to eventually replace the federal income tax.

Healthcare: Hickenlooper supports a public health insurance option and pricing transparency, the Sun reported. Baisley said he backs Sen. Rick Scott's "More Affordable Care Act," which would shift federal subsidies to consumers, and favors expanded health savings accounts for routine care.

Immigration: Hickenlooper told the Sun that people who have been working and paying taxes should at least receive a guest-worker visa. He supports a citizenship pathway for people protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Baisley said people in the country without legal status should not be permitted to stay.

Energy: Hickenlooper told the Sun he believes the country should transition to clean energy by 2050, with natural gas use necessary in the interim. Baisley said he does not support ending carbon-emitting energy sources but backs government investment in hydrogen and nuclear power research.

Hickenlooper's Senate record

Hickenlooper sits on four Senate committees: Commerce, Science and Transportation; Energy and Natural Resources; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship, according to Congress.gov. He holds ranking-member positions on two subcommittees.

CPR News reported that Hickenlooper has pushed for permitting reform and voted against advancing the Ratepayer Protection Act during the Senate's last week in session before the election recess.

Other candidates on the ballot

Four minor-party candidates also appear, according to CPR News and 9NEWS:

• Bob Chew, Forward Party
• Blake Huber, Libertarian Party
• Adam Withrow, Unity Party
• Christopher Baum, Approval Voting Party

CPR reported that Chew, a Boulder resident, has put more than $1 million of his own money into his campaign.

How to vote and track results

Colorado conducts elections primarily by mail, with ballots mailed to active registered voters, 9NEWS reported. Voters may also cast ballots in person at voter service and polling centers. Election officials must receive ballots by 7 p.m. on Election Day. A postmark does not count.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a Nov. 2 press release that counties began processing ballots on Oct. 19. After polls close, counties will upload results to the state's Election Night Reporting system. Voters can track results and find registration information at GoVoteColorado.gov.

Colorado allows eligible residents to register through Election Day, according to 9NEWS.

Results (unofficial)

Results will be updated after polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3.