1994 Colorado gubernatorial election

1994 Colorado gubernatorial election
	November 8, 1994
	County results; Romer: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%; Benson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Governor before election; Roy Romer; Democratic	Elected Governor ; Roy Romer; Democratic

The 1994 Colorado gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994, to select the governor of the state of Colorado. Although Colorado voters passed a term limits ballot measure in 1990 limiting the governors to two consecutive terms, it was not retroactive and only applied for terms beginning in 1991 or later, thus Roy Romer, the Democratic incumbent first elected in 1986, was able to run for reelection for a third term.^[1]^[2]^[3] The Republican nominee, Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, Bruce D. Benson, lost by a margin of nearly 18 percent.

Democratic primary

Incumbent governor Roy Romer ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Democratic primary results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Roy Romer (incumbent)	68,722	100.00

Republican primary

Bruce D. Benson, Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party
Mike Bird
Dick Sargent
George P. Carouthen (write-in)

Republican primary results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bruce D. Benson	103,979	60.0%
	Republican	Mike Bird	38,577	22.3%
	Republican	Dick Sargent	30,332	17.5%
	Republican	George P. Carouthen (write-in)	410	0.2%
Total votes			173,298	100.00

General election

Colorado gubernatorial election, 1994^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Roy Romer (incumbent)	619,205	55.47%	−6.42%
	Republican	Bruce D. Benson	432,042	38.70%	+3.27%
	Constitution	Kevin Swanson	40,397	3.62%	N/A
	Green	Philip Hufford	16,956	1.52%	N/A
	Prohibition	Earl Dodge	7,584	0.68%	−0.10%
	Write-in	Thomas Todd	123	0.01%	N/A
Majority			187,163	16.77%	−9.69%
Turnout			1,116,307
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

^ "1990BlueBook.pdf | State of Colorado". State of Colorado Elections Database. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
^ "Colorado Amendment No. 5, Term Limits for Certain Offices Initiative (1990)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
^ "CHILL WIND BLOWING FOR DEMOCRATS IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
^ ^a ^b "State of Colorado, Abstract of Votes Cast, 1993-1994" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State.
^ "1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Colorado". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 17, 2017.

[1] "1990BlueBook.pdf | State of Colorado". State of Colorado Elections Database. Retrieved July 27, 2025.

[2] "Colorado Amendment No. 5, Term Limits for Certain Offices Initiative (1990)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 27, 2025.

[3] "CHILL WIND BLOWING FOR DEMOCRATS IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.

[Election_Results-4] "State of Colorado, Abstract of Votes Cast, 1993-1994" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State.

[uselectionatlas-5] "1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Colorado". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 17, 2017.

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