From the Colorado Democratic Party Platform Committee:
One of the changes this year to the process of building the Colorado Democratic Party Platform involves a new procedure by which we on the Platform Committee will collect ideas and suggestions from the grassroots of our party.
In the past, it has been customary (but not built into Platform Committee or Assembly rules) for Counties to submit statewide platform ideas after they meet for caucus and assembly. These might be ideas that come out of their own process, or that have come up as they debate their own county-level platforms in some cases.
This waiting until after county caucuses and assemblies has created enormous pressure on the Platform Committee to evaluate and possibly incorporate suggestions, to debate and vote, all in the incredibly short gap before our State Assembly. The turnaround time and stress it causes is listed as the main reason in exit surveys that people indicate they will not be involved in future Platform Committee work.
It’s important to note that this has just been customary; waiting for county submissions is NOT part of the Platform Committee’s charter or included in any rules regarding the committee.
This cycle, we will not be waiting to finalize the version of the platform that we submit to Assembly until after county caucuses and assemblies. This means that individuals, counties, HDs, CDs, and Initiatives may submit platform ideas prior to a deadline of FEBRUARY 13, 2026.
Alongside this change is an opening of the process to allow more voices to submit more ideas as individuals or committees — this is in line with our continued democratization of the process to allow for everyone and every committee to have their voice heard in the way they see fit.
There are 4 ways you, as an individual or as a county exec or central committee, HD or CD leadership team, or Initiative Council or Caucus, can submit suggestions to the Platform Committee:
- Directly to Chair Jen Hancock at platform@coloradodems.org
- Via your HD, CD, or Initiative representative on the Platform Committee.
- Via a short survey in which anyone can rank planks according to your priorities for the next two years, which is open through February 8, and can be found HERE. (coloradodems.org/platform)
- Via a longer form with room for plank suggestions, which is open through February 8, and can be found HERE. (coloradodems.org/platform). NOTE that the existing Platform can be found via a link in this longer form.
Please note, Weld County Dems can also submit platform ideas via the chair of the Weld County Democratic Party, Jeri Shepherd, at jeri@sheplaw.comcastbiz.net.