Colorado’s nineteenth state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Rachel Zenzinger.

Colorado state senators represent an average of 143,691 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 122,893 residents.

About the office

Members of the Colorado State Senate serve four-year terms with term limits. Colorado legislators assume office on first day of the first legislative session following the election.

Qualifications

Article 5, Section 4 of the Colorado Constitution states: "No person shall be a representative or senator who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, who shall not be a citizen of the United States, who shall not for at least twelve months next preceding his election, have resided within the territory included in the limits of the county or district in which he shall be chosen; provided, that any person who at the time of the adoption of this constitution, was a qualified elector under the territorial laws, shall be eligible to the first general assembly."

Salaries

Term limits

Voters enacted the Colorado Term Limits Act in 1990. That initiative said that Colorado senators are subject to term limits of no more than two four-year terms.

Vacancies

In the event of any vacancy in the senate, the political party that holds the vacant seat is responsible for deciding a replacement. A vacancy committee consisting of members of the political party holding the vacant seat must conduct an election when deciding an appointee. A simple majority vote of members in the vacancy committee is needed to approve any appointment. The person selected to fill the vacancy serves until the next scheduled general election.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Colorado State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for June 30, 2020. The filing deadline is March 17, 2020.

2016

Elections for the Colorado State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 28, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 4, 2016.

Rachel Zenzinger defeated incumbent Laura J. Woods and Hans Romer in the Colorado State Senate District 19 general election.

Colorado State Senate, District 19 General Election, 2016

Rachel Zenzinger ran unopposed in the Colorado State Senate District 19 Democratic primary.
Incumbent Laura J. Woods ran unopposed in the Colorado State Senate District 19 Republican primary.

This district was included in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee's list of "2016 Essential Races." Read more »

2014

Elections for the Colorado State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 24, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 31, 2014. Incumbent Rachel Zenzinger was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Laura J. Woods defeated Lang Sias in the Republican primary. Woods defeated Zenzinger and Gregg Miller (L) in the general election.

This race was picked by analysts as one of two that were important for the control of the Colorado State Senate. The Democrats held the smallest possible majority in the chamber at one seat following the successful 2013 recalls of Senate President John Morse (D) and Angela Giron (D) and later resignation of Evie Hudak (D) after recall petitions were turned in against her. When Zenzinger, Hudak's former campaign manager, was first appointed, some conservatives argued that she would simply continue with Hudak's policies. "Sen. Hudak’s constituents were hungry for change and liberal activists served up more of the same. Zenzinger may have a different name, but she’s been behind Hudak’s policies. Anyone who thinks Zenzinger is going to stand up to her own Democrat majority is fooling themselves," said Kelly Maher of the conservative group Compass Colorado.

Jefferson County, where this seat is located, was considered by some to be "the epicenter of Colorado politics." Because of Zenzinger's relationship to Hudak, she was considered vulnerable to a Republican challenge. According to Chalkbeat, Zenzinger holds a "substantial fundraising lead" over Woods.

Colorado State Senate, District 19, General Election, 2014

Colorado State Senate District 19 Republican Primary, 2014

2012

Elections for the Colorado State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 26, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 2, 2012. Incumbent Evie Hudak defeated Lang Sias (R) and Lloyd Sweeny (L) in the general election. The candidates ran unopposed in the June 26 primary election.

Colorado State Senate, District 19, General Election, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Colorado State Senate District 19 raised a total of $2,153,459. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $119,637 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Colorado State Senate District 19