Election day is just around the corner. Here’s what thousands of Coloradans told us what’s most important to them

In a difficult and anxious 2024 election, Coloradans responding to our Voter Voices survey unanimously expressed their top concerns: democracy and good governance.

That’s the main conclusion from more than 7,200 people who weighed in from the start this spring for this week.

Other top issues? Economy, climate and environment, immigration and abortion.

But look at the details of who took the survey, and the top issues and their rankings change, rising and falling with age, gender and politics. The younger the voter, the higher the priority given to “social justice and equality.” Women rated abortion much higher than men. Conservatives rated immigration and personal freedom higher than liberals and moderates.

Still, “democracy and good government” – including preserving and protecting the rule of law and access to the ballot, striking a balance between national security and individual freedom, stopping the erosion of citizenship and compromise – dominated Voter Voices responses.

“Without democracy we have nothing to say, we have no civil rights or human rights. It all depends on democracy, otherwise nothing else will work,” wrote Grand Junction resident Maria Cuthbert, a Latina who describes herself as politically liberal.

Sean Pond, a registered Republican from Nucla, said democracy has moved away from people power and toward government mandates.

“I believe in every American’s right to choose,” Pond said in an interview. “I don’t think the federal government, the state government, should be telling people, whether they’re men or women, what to do with their personal choices.”

Conservatives who responded to the Voter Voices survey were much more likely than liberals to say they had no confidence that national elections would be conducted fairly. However, people across the political spectrum have shown significantly greater confidence in the reliability and security of Colorado’s election system.

The anxiety, frustration and uncertainty reflected in the responses mirror the study’s findings recent New York Times/Siena College poll in which three quarters of respondents said that democracy was at risk. As in this poll, how and why this threat emerges depends on political affiliation.

Voters’ votes it was an effort led by the Colorado News Collaborative and Colorado Public Radio. More than 60 Colorado newsrooms participated in the vote, asking voters in their communities what they wanted candidates to talk about as they competed for votes. Thousands of community responses were used by local newsrooms for election coverage, voter guides, candidate forums and questionnaires across Colorado.

The survey was not a scientific poll, and the overall rankings of the most important election issues reflect respondents’ bias toward older, white women: the same demographic that is generally more likely to vote. Responses also skew left, reflecting part of where most Coloradans live – the blue Front Range.

But the survey also collected hundreds of responses from rural voters, conservative voters, young voters and people who identify as Latino, Black, Asian, Native or other community of color – groups that collectively accounted for more than a quarter of all responses and whose experiences with key issues such as the cost of living, immigration or the environment influence their priorities in ways that may differ from the larger pool of responses.

Review written responses to the question: “What should candidates focus on when competing for your vote?” a more nuanced picture is emerging of how Coloradans view the stakes of this election. The same goes for where conservatives, liberals and moderates find a glimmer of agreement: a desire – or even a demand – for elected officials to free themselves from the grip of hyper-partisanship and work together with civility and common sense.

As a Rio Grande County resident put it: “Republicans aren’t always right and not all Democrats are right. You need a balance somewhere in the middle.”

Here are more statements from Voter Voices respondents that candidates should focus on.

“The truth about the economy is important and its impact on everyday people,” said a moderate woman from Arapahoe County. “As someone who once thought I would be middle class and that it would be easy, I no longer believe it is possible.”

“To discuss how they view the Constitution as guiding their role in governance,” the Wiggins conservative wrote. “I would also like them to outline their plans to take control of the bureaucracy and return lawmaking to the legislature instead of unelected bureaucrats.”

The man, who identified himself as a Liberal from Brighton, said he wanted to hear “discussions of (candidates’) policies regarding the economy, immigration and the Israeli conflict. Not just beating around the bush like politicians tend to do most of the time, but also giving the People an idea of ​​what their development plans look like.”

“None of these issues will matter if we don’t have democracy,” said the moderate Longmont resident. “My concern as a black man with a biracial son and daughter is whether their rights will be violated, let alone mine.”

“Tax reform!” wrote Craig, who identified as a liberal. “I’m on a low income and live in a caravan because I can’t afford the rent or the cost of buying a place. I would like the rich to pay their fair share instead of getting all these tax breaks/deductions.”

“How are they going to work with Congress to lower costs for Americans while strengthening our border and helping our allies in a way that is productive for everyone involved,” said the conservative younger voter from Jefferson County.

“For me, a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions is the most important right that needs to be protected,” wrote a liberal woman from Denver. “I feel fortunate to live in a country that recognizes this, but I feel that the Dobbs decision has made me an incomplete citizen of our country. Until every woman in the country can get the health care she needs, this will be the most important issue.”

One woman from Silverthorne wrote: “Even though people may not see it this way, the health of planet Earth is the most important issue today. If we don’t have a planet capable of supporting 9 billion people, all other social, economic and political issues will become moot.”

“I think water is Colorado’s biggest problem,” said the liberal Aurora woman. “I also think we have created our own housing problems by allowing developers to build top-notch housing and not ensuring that housing development meets the income levels of the community’s residents.”

Water was also a top priority for the Sterling Conservative, who emphasized its role in “protecting our agriculture, which is so vital to the Eastern Plains and Western Slope.”

“I believe America’s role in the world is a key issue the government must address in the coming years,” said moderate Rep. Littleton. “Global poverty has been swept under the rug for far too long and it will take mass awareness and mobilizing movements to truly make an impact.”

“I would like to know how they are going to stop mass migration on both the southern and northern borders,” wrote a conservative in Grand Junction. “I would also like to know how they plan to reduce deficit spending and work to balance the budget.”

Immigration is a problem, an elderly Lafayette woman wrote, but for her the solution is fixing the legal immigration system. “Our family went to California for this trial in the 1950s. We were Canadians and I think the system now is very broken and unfair to those who want to become legal.”

“Given two attempted assassinations of a Republican candidate and 394 mass shootings in 2024, why do candidates oppose modernizing gun background checks by moving to a computerized system, licensing and required training, and enforcing red flags?” asked a woman in Denver.

“Respecting the individual’s right to decide what is best for him or her. “Our nation is polarized because we judge each other’s choices (abortion, gun ownership, religious beliefs, etc.),” the Lone Tree moderate said.

On behalf of many respondents, she added: “The lack of common sense affects our future.”

You can find out what your vote has the greatest impact on democracy and good governanceeconomics i living costs, apartments, environment and climate, immigration AND miscarriage using links. Our The voter’s guide is also here help.

Tina Griego is editor-in-chief of the Colorado News Collaborative. Megan Verlee, public affairs editor at Colorado Public Radio, contributed to this story. You can learn more about the Voter Voices project Here.