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Some people love football season or baseball season (go Rockies!), but other nerds—like me—get super jazzed about election season. After all, while sports can provide a nice distraction from our increasingly uncivil discourse, the results of each election will impact your life, and the lives of those around you, for years to come.
As we enter the final stretch of the 2018 midterm elections, Colorado’s gubernatorial candidates—Republican Walker Stapleton and Democrat Jared Polis—are preparing to face off in a series of debates across the state. Whether you have an idea of who you want to vote for or not, it’s always a good idea to tune in and listen to what they have to say. We’re even making it easy for you, by hunting down the details for each debate so you don’t have to.
When: 6 p.m. on Friday, October 5
Hosted by: CBS4, KOA NewsRadio (850 AM), Colorado Public TV (CPT12), and the Colorado Sun
Details: CBS4 Political Specialist Shaun Boyd will moderate the debate, which will also feature a panel that includes Dominic Dezzutti from CPT12, Marty Lenz from KOA, and John Frank from the Sun.
How to Watch: CBS4 will broadcast the hour-long debate live and commercial free (on Channel 4). You can also listen live on 630 KHOW or stream it in real-time. Colorado Springs residents can catch the action live on KTTV 11 News.
When: 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 6
Hosted by: The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Colorado Mesa University, and Rocky Mountain PBS
Details: Dubbed the Rural Colorado Debate, this event is focused on probing the candidates’ positions on issues facing our state’s rural communities. Citizens can submit questions for the candidates on the RMPBS website.
How to Watch: For the first time, this debate will be broadcast statewide. You can watch live on Rocky Mountain PBS (Channel 6) or stream it in real-time.
When: 7 p.m. on Monday, October 8
Hosted by: The Pueblo Chieftain
Details: Chieftain editor Steve Henson will moderate the one-hour debate, with questions provided by the newspaper’s reporters and editors. While the event is free and open to the public on a first-come-first-serve basis, audience members will not be able to ask questions.
How to Watch: The debate will take place at the Occhiato Center at CSU-Pueblo (2200 Bonforte Blvd., Pueblo). It will also be live-streamed on the Pueblo Chieftain’s website.
When: 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 13
Hosted by: The Gazette, Colorado Politics, and KOAA News5 (Colorado Springs)
Details: As the largest debate of the election season, the State Debate will feature the gubernatorial hopefuls, as well as the candidates for attorney general, secretary of state, and state treasurer. KOAA journalist Rob Quirk will act as moderator, while Joey Bunch, senior writer for Colorado Politics, and KOAA anchor Elizabeth Watts will act as panelists. You can submit questions for the candidates here.
How to Watch: The debate will take place at the Garden Pavilion at Penrose House (1661 Mesa Ave., Colorado Springs). All seat reservations are filled, but those hoping to watch it live can still swing by the venue (seats not guaranteed). Otherwise, the debate will be broadcast live on KOAA, as well as live-streamed on koaa.com, gazette.com, and thestatedebate.com.
When: 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 17
Hosted by: 9News, the Fort Collins Coloradoan, and Colorado State University
Details: This topic-specific debate will focus solely on education. Journalists from 9News will act as moderators, and the public can submit on-topic questions in advance.
How to Watch: The event will take place at the Lory Student Center Theatre on the CSU campus (1101 Center Ave. Mall, Fort Collins). All spots are filled, but you can put your name on the waitlist. Otherwise, you can catch the debate on 9News or at Coloradoan.com.
When: 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 23
Hosted by: The Denver Post and Denver7
Details: No further details have been released at this time.
How to Watch: The debate will take place at the Cable Center on the University of Denver campus (2000 Buchtel Blvd.). It will be broadcast live on Denver7, as well as streamed on their website, the Denver Post website, and University of Denver’s website.
