Well ... I'm glad I didn't stay up for the "results" ...

Let's do a run-down of the ballot to see how my personal choices did:

• President: Well, I definitely lost here in Colorado, with a good 50k deficit for Kerry against Bush. That will likely close up some as further precincts report in, but pretty much everyone is calling it for Bush here. Nationally? Well, it's still unofficial -- though I'll bet a lot of those folks who railed against the electoral system last election would be more than happy to see Kerry win electorally but not popularly. More on the presidency later.

• Senate: Looks like Salazar (D) beat Coors by close to the same margin as Bush beat Kerry here, providing plenty of grist for post-election analysis. That victory helps keep the Republican increases in the Senate down by that much more. Nice to have won a big one.

• House: Not surprisingly, Tancredo (R) beat Conti. Pleasingly, Salazar (D) (the brother) won one for the Dems. Unfortunately, Musgrave (R) beat Matsunaka in an not-unexpectedly nasty campaign.

• State Senate: Spence (R) beat Love, which is how I'd voted.

• State House: Clapp (R) beat Donohue, which is the opposite of how I voted (but certainly was in keeping with the signage I saw driving home last night). Not surprisingly, the US House and two State legislature votes were almost all the same percentage -- 60-40 for the GOP. When you get to that level, folks tend to vote straight-party.

• County DA: Chambers (R) beat Hill (by the same margin), which is, again, how I voted.

• Amendment 34: Construction Liability: lost 75-25 (huzzah).
  
• Amendment 35: Tobacco Taxes: won 57-43 (a small alas).
  
• Amendment 36: Electors: lost 65-35 (huzzah).
  
• Amendment 37: Renewable Energy: winning, 52-48 (alas), but not called yet.
  
• Referendum A: State Civil Service: losing, 63-37 (huzzah), but no called yet.
  
• Referendum B: Obsolete State Constitution Stuff: won, 65-35 (huzzah).
  
• Referendum 4A: FasTracks: winning, 68-32 (huzzah), but not called yet.
  
• Referendum 4B: SCFD: won 58-42 (huzzah).
  
• 3A: School Mill Levy Hike: won 63-37 (huzzah).

So, as far as my ballot went, not a bad outcome (7 to 2 on the ballot propositions, 3-3 on the candidates). Nationwide, though, disappointing. I'm irked that the GOP has increased its margins in both houses, whether or not Kerry somehow manages to pull it out. I'm appalled that every single of the near dozen measures to ban gay marriage won, in some cases by huge amounts. More on that, later, too.

Filed under :: Elections 2004