By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice
Candidates from the two major parties appearing at the bottom of the 4th Congressional District’s special election ballot will have to hope voters read the whole ballot.
The top place on the ballot is generally viewed by candidates to be best, but the major parties won’t hold the spot. Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s office explains a random lottery drawing was held Wednesday, April 24, to determine the order of candidates on the ballot, as required by state law for vacancy elections. Neither the Democratic nor Republican candidate was drawn for the top-line.
Frank Atwood, the Approval Voting Party’s candidate, will hold the top line. He last appeared on a ballot in 2022, vying for the U.S. Senate seat won by Democrat Michael Bennet. Atwood earned 0.5% of the vote. In 2020, he appeared on the ballot as his party’s vice presidential nominee, earning 0.0% of the vote. He was a candidate for president in 2016 and in 2014 ran for the 1st District seat in Congress as a Libertarian.
Appearing on the ballot’s second line will be Hannah Goodman, the chairwoman of the Libertarian Party. She is probably best known for her work with Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams toward a pledge that Libertarians won’t seek office against liberty-minded Republicans, although she is in this race and a candidate for the general election. To that point, one Republican primary candidate, Lauren Boebert, has a perfect Liberty Scorecard grade, but there are others in the race with failing grades.
The two major party candidates in the special election are Republican Greg Lopez and Democrat Trisha Calvarese. Of all the candidates in the race, Lopez has the most name recognition. He has twice run primary campaigns for governor as a Republican and previously served as mayor of Parker. Calvarese has never run for office, but worked for the AFL-CIO and the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Election Day is June 25. Griswold indicates ballots will be received by Coloradans by June 3. Registered voters in minor parties not holding a primary will only receive a ballot for the special election. The winner of the election will hold the seat in Congress for about six months, at which time the winner of the general election will assume office.
The vacancy in the 4th District was created when ex-U.S. Rep. Ken Buck abruptly resigned, leaving the district without representation in Washington for a period of about three months. It marks the first time in 41 years a special election will be held to fill a vacancy.