Colorado's 3rd Senate district

Colorado's 3rd Senate district is one of 35 districts in the Colorado Senate. It has been represented by Democrat Nick Hinrichsen since 2022, following the resignation of Leroy Garcia.^[3][4]

Colorado's 3rd State Senate district
From 2022 onward From 2012 to 2022
Senator	Nick Hinrichsen D–Pueblo
Registration	30.3% Democratic 23.3% Republican 43.9% No party preference
Demographics	49% White 2% Black 45% Hispanic 1% Asian 1% Native American 2% Other
Population (2018)	145,789[1]
Registered voters	100,093[2]

Geography

District 3 is based in the city of Pueblo in Pueblo County, also covering the nearby community of Pueblo West.^[5]

The district is located entirely within Colorado's 3rd congressional district, and overlaps with the 46th, 47th, and 62nd districts of the Colorado House of Representatives.^[6]

Recent election results

2022

Colorado state senators are elected to staggered four-year terms; under normal circumstances, the 3rd district holds elections in midterm years. The 2022 election will be the first one held under the state's new district lines.

2022 Colorado State Senate election, District 3^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Nick Hinrichsen (incumbent)	33,795	51.2
	Republican	Stephen Varela	32,090	48.6
	Write-in		90	0.1
Total votes			65,975	100
	Democratic hold

Historical election results

2018

2018 Colorado State Senate election, District 3^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Leroy Garcia (incumbent)	39,768	73.6
	Libertarian	John Pickerill	14,253	26.4
Total votes			54,021	100
	Democratic hold

2014

2014 Colorado State Senate election, District 3^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Leroy Garcia	27,813	54.9
	Republican	George Rivera (incumbent)	22,814	45.1
Total votes			50,627	100
	Democratic gain from Republican

2013 recall

In 2013, an attempt to recall incumbent Democrat Angela Giron over her support for gun control legislation was successful, resulting in the election of Republican George Rivera.

Shall Angela Giron be recalled from the office of State Senate, District 3?

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	19,451	56.0
No	15,376	44.0
Total votes	34,556	100.00

2013 Colorado State Senate recall election, District 3^[10][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George Rivera	19,301	88.2
	Write-in		2,592	11.8
Total votes			21,893	100
	Republican gain from Democratic

Federal and statewide results

Year	Office	Results[11]
2020	President	Biden 52.0 – 45.4%
2018	Governor	Polis 53.1 – 41.9%
2016	President	Clinton 48.0 – 43.6%
2014	Senate	Udall 48.9 – 44.0%
	Governor	Hickenlooper 52.0 – 42.5%
2012	President	Obama 58.3 – 39.4%