Election 2021: Unofficial results in Colorado show low turnout in off-year election

DENVER — November 2, 2021 was Election Day, and more than a million Coloradans returned a ballot after voting on statewide initiatives like raising sales taxes on marijuana and decreasing property taxes, as well as local ballot initiatives across the state.

All three statewide ballot initiatives failed, and low turnout was one of the main storylines of this year's election cycle.

2021 is obviously not a presidential election, and Colorado did not have any statewide offices (i.e., governor or senator) to fill; the Associated Press did not call any of the races in Colorado this year. So where can you find the results?

The Colorado Secretary of State’s office has posted election results on its website. The results, which you can find here, will be unofficial until they are certified. That process is scheduled to take place on November 29.

Election results for Denver County are online here.

Colorado Community Media is also tracking election results. Visit their site here.

Voter turnout was lackluster in Colorado this year. Just 1.4 million people returned a ballot. That is less than 40& of the state’s registered voters. 

Turnout was especially low in Denver County. Despite being the state’s second-largest county by population (El Paso County is first, according to 2020 Census data), Denver County only had the fifth-most ballots returned.

In 2020, Coloradans turned out in record numbers. Nearly 87% of registered voters cast a ballot. It should be noted, however, that the 2020 election was unique in its magnitude. Joe Biden, who was elected president, received more votes than any other candidate in history. Donald Trump, the incumbent republican candidate, received the second-most votes of all time that same year.

Many people have compared the 2021 election cycle to 2017 because that election cycle was also the year after a presidential election. In 2017, just 33% of registered voters submitted a ballot in Colorado, showing turnout is dramatically lower in elections where voters are not voting for presidential, senatorial or gubernatorial candidates.

For a history of election results in Colorado dating back to 1902, click here.

If you mailed in your ballot, you can check its status at a service called ballottrax. If you voted in Denver County, you can track your ballot here.

For coverage and results on some high-profile races in other states, visit PBS NewsHour.

Kyle Cooke is the digital media manager at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at kylecooke@rmpbs.org.