Over the past six years, recall elections have become a staple of Colorado politics. Given the “on demand” mentality so prevalent in our society today, that shouldn’t be a surprise. More importantly, it isn’t a trend likely to end any time soon.
This year’s iteration includes both candidate recalls and repeal of enacted laws. The combination of power vested in one party with increasing polarization creates the fertile soil of discontent necessary to fuel recall drives.
The option is particularly popular among the hardcore grassroots activists on either side. Just as primary elections amplify their voice in the outcome of elections, so do recall elections due to lower voter turnout. Only the most energized citizens on either side vote while the middle frequently sit recall elections out.
After newly crowned Democrats swept both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office, and all the power to govern that came with them, it seemed predictable Democrats would come out of the gates swinging.
Their aggressive agenda combined with brute force legislative tactics have caused an uproar among conservatives throughout the state. Helpless to do anything but slow the process through legislative gimmicks, Republicans have again turned to recall elections.
