LITA 15: Colorado's Political March Madness: How Caucus and Assembly Set the June Primary Ballot
Most Colorado voters have no idea their June primary ballot is shaped long before they show up to vote. In this episode, Ana and Deep break down the full caucus-and-assembly process — from Tuesday-night precinct caucuses to the state assembly floor — explaining how candidates either clear the 30% threshold to make the ballot or shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars in petition signatures instead. Along the way, they cover a coordinated progressive organizing effort behind Melat Kiros that flooded the delegate pool, tech meltdowns and voting chaos at the county assembly, Diana DeGette's surprisingly close call at the CD1 assembly, and the state-level results: Phil Weiser dominating the governor's race, Julie Gonzales advancing, a tight AG contest between David Seligman and Jenna Griswold, and Jeff Bridges left as the only treasurer candidate after others missed the threshold entirely. They also get honest about who the process leaves out — Tuesday-night meetings, accessibility barriers, and a delegate pool that skews older and whiter than the actual Democratic electorate.
Melat Kiros speech at County Assembly: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CNxNnU2Us/
Diana DeGette yelling at delegate: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWFBhpuCbhE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Phil Weiser: https://philforcolorado.com/
Julie Gonzales: https://www.julieforcolorado.com/
David Seligman: https://www.seligmanforag.com/
Hetal Doshi: https://www.hetaldoshiforag.com/
Michael Dougherty: https://www.michaelforag.com/
Jessie Danielson: https://www.jessiedanielson.com/
Amanda Gonzales: https://www.amandaforcolorado.com/
Jeff Bridges: https://bridgesforcolorado.com/
00:00 March Madness Intro
00:16 Sweatshirts and Sports Talk
01:22 Political March Madness Setup
03:40 How Primaries Work
04:34 Petitions vs Assemblies
08:01 Precinct Caucus Basics
08:37 Cap Hill Caucus Night
11:18 Progressive Turnout Surge
13:22 Access and Equity Gaps
14:16 County Assembly Day
15:26 Snacks and Check In Chaos
18:39 CD1 Showdown Begins
20:49 Melat Speech vs Incumbent
22:28 Viral Diana Clip Context
26:01 County Assembly Voting Chaos
28:32 Delegates Torch Passing
30:01 Local Races And Thresholds
32:25 CD1 Zoom Nailbiter
35:23 State Assembly Stakes
38:39 Pageantry And Opt Outs
42:38 AG Drama And Results
47:46 Get Involved Before June
50:23 Wrap Up And Next Steps
Meet Your Hosts
Ana Mitchell, Ph.D., is a former CDC scientist who was swept up in federal cuts and is now reinventing herself as a civic coach and creator. After a decade reducing disparities in health and education, she’s building Civically Fit (see civicallyfit.org) to make civic engagement accessible, authentic, and sustainable. A proud Latina and Colorado native, Ana is focused on helping people build community and power through everyday civic action.
Deep Singh Badhesha is an attorney, political strategist, and government affairs professional with over a decade of experience shaping political campaigns and policy in Colorado. A former public school math teacher, Colorado Supreme Court clerk, and senior policy analyst, he now works across campaigns, ballot initiatives, and legislative fights. He’s South Asian, a new dad, and a longtime organizer who believes community—not saviors—will rebuild the Left. He also has way too many hot takes on everything stemming from food and sports to politics.
Links:
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