Colorado’s Center Party Hopes to Shake Up Politics

Coloradans now have an additional choice when it comes to deciding their political affiliations. The Colorado Center Party has recently attained the status of a minor political party, and it is set to provide an alternative option for voters in the state.

The Colorado Center Party emerged in January 2022 with the goal of reintroducing civility into politics and shielding citizens from both extreme ends of the political spectrum.

The party claims that the major parties have steadily gravitated toward the extremes of left and right, leaving a significant opening for the Center Party to appeal to the considerable 47% of Colorado's registered voters who identify as unaffiliated. These voters, disillusioned by the deeply entrenched partisan views of the major parties, may find solace in the Center Party's moderate stance.

The Colorado Center Party

According to their website, the Colorado Center Party supports issues such as abortion rights, environmental protection through stricter regulations on polluters, maintaining cash bail systems, and ensuring the security of U.S. borders. Positioned as a socially inclusive and fiscally responsible party, they hope to attract independent-minded candidates who might have otherwise run as independents.

Colorado law defines a minor political party as any party apart from the two major political parties, the Democrats and Republicans. The Colorado Center Party joins the ranks of six other minor parties already present in the state: the American Constitution Party, Approval Voting Party, Green Party of Colorado, Libertarian Party of Colorado, No Labels Colorado Party, and Unity Party of Colorado.

The Colorado Center Party

To maintain its status as a minor political party, the Center Party must meet either of the following requirements: have a candidate for statewide office who receives at least 1% of the total votes cast in the previous two general elections or maintain a minimum of 1,000 registered voters affiliated with the party during the same period.

With the party's official recognition, the Colorado Center Party now has the ability to nominate candidates for general elections, eliminating the need for candidates to petition onto the ballot.