Rep. Ken Buck will leave office before the end of March. Here's what's next for his seat.
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Colorado's 4th Congressional District Republican Rep. Ken Buck announced Tuesday that he will leave Congress before the end of the month. Now, Coloradans are left wondering who will take his place.
Buck first announced he wasn’t seeking reelection for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District in November 2023, but that timeline was expedited Tuesday when Buck announced that he will leave the House of Representatives early despite having over nine months left in his term.
His last day will be Friday, March 22.
"It has been an honor to serve the people of Colorado's 4th Congressional District in Congress for the past 9 years. I want to thank them for their support and encouragement throughout the years," Buck said in a statement. "Today, I am announcing that I will depart Congress at the end of next week. I look forward to staying involved in our political process, as well as spending more time in Colorado with my family."
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Gov. Jared Polis calls for special election after Buck's resignation
After Buck's announcement on Tuesday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a press release that he plans to call a special election to select a replacement for the rest of Buck’s term on June 25, the same day as the state's general primary elections.
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How will candidates get on the special election ballot?
According to Colorado law, it is required that the governor should call a special election between 85 and 100 days after a vacancy in Congress.
This means that Coloradans in the 4th District can expect multiple items on their June ballot, including a vote for their political primary choice as well as their vote for the interim representative to fill Buck's seat in Congress.
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According to the law, political parties pick the candidates in special elections for congressional vacancies.
Unaffiliated candidates can also try to run in the special election by collecting petition signatures.
The interim representative will serve the remainder of Buck's term. The seat is up for election again in November.
Nearly 20 candidates hope to take Buck's seat in November election
Nearly 20 candidates are in the running to represent the 4th Congressional District for the next full term.
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However, that that field will narrow further after the June primary when Republican and Democratic voters will select their respective party representatives for the General Election on Nov. 5.
4th Congressional District unaffiliated voters will receive ballots for both the Democratic and Republican candidates but should only fill out one of the ballots in order for their vote to count.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado Rep. Ken Buck resigns from 4th Congressional District
