Why It Matters
Colorado voters face significant electoral decisions in 2026, making public sentiment a critical indicator for campaigns, policymakers, and advocacy groups statewide. A panel discussion at Colorado SunFest 2026 will examine how Coloradans are feeling as two major elections approach, offering insight into voter priorities and concerns that could shape the state’s political landscape. Understanding voter sentiment ahead of elections provides candidates, elected officials, and organizations with data-driven perspectives on what matters most to Colorado residents.
What Happened
The Colorado Sun announced a panel session titled “How are Coloradans feeling heading into a big election year?” scheduled for Friday, May 1, 2026, during Colorado SunFest 2026. The event is a daylong gathering hosted by the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies designed to bring Coloradans together to discuss what makes a better Colorado.
The panel will be moderated by Colorado Sun politics reporter and editor Jesse Paul and will feature expertise from the Colorado Polling Institute and other polling specialists. The discussion will focus on voter sentiment and concerns as Colorado voters prepare for two significant elections in 2026.
Two confirmed panelists include Kevin Ingham, founder and principal of Aspect Strategic, a Colorado-based public opinion research firm, and Lori Weigel, director of New Bridge Strategy. Ingham serves as the Democratic half of the Colorado Polling Institute’s bipartisan polling team and brings more than 15 years of experience as a pollster and adviser to campaigns and advocacy organizations throughout the U.S. and internationally. Weigel has directed research efforts for political and public affairs campaigns nationwide, including four presidential-level campaigns, and currently focuses on polling about ballot measures.
By The Numbers
While specific polling data was not released in advance of the panel, Ingham’s background includes work spanning more than 15 years in political polling and campaign advising. Weigel has directed research efforts across multiple presidential campaigns, indicating deep experience analyzing voter sentiment at the highest levels of electoral politics. Colorado SunFest 2026 is scheduled as a single-day event on May 1, with multiple sessions addressing different aspects of state governance and voter priorities.
Zoom Out
Colorado’s 2026 elections come amid a period of sustained political engagement across the country. Midterm and off-year elections have consistently drawn increased focus on voter sentiment and polling as a means to understand electoral dynamics. States nationwide have invested in understanding voter priorities on inflation, healthcare, education, and other policy areas ahead of major electoral contests.
The use of bipartisan polling teams, as demonstrated by the Colorado Polling Institute model, reflects a national trend toward seeking nonpartisan perspectives on voter sentiment. Many states and organizations now employ research firms with representation across the political spectrum to provide more comprehensive pictures of public opinion.
Colorado has emerged as a significant electoral battleground in recent national cycles, making local polling and voter sentiment analysis particularly important for understanding broader political trends. The state’s diverse geography, urban-rural divide, and growing population have made understanding voter priorities in Colorado relevant to national political observers.
Colorado SunFest itself represents a growing trend of news organizations hosting in-person events focused on civic engagement and policy discussion. These events provide platforms for experts, journalists, and the public to engage in substantive conversations about state governance and voter priorities.
What’s Next
Colorado SunFest 2026 will take place on May 1, 2026, with the voter sentiment panel scheduled for that date. The discussion is expected to provide Coloradans and political observers with current polling data and expert analysis of voter priorities heading into the state’s elections.
Results and insights from the panel discussion will likely be published by the Colorado Sun following the event, making the polling data and expert perspectives accessible to a broader audience beyond those who attend in person. The panel may also influence coverage of Colorado politics in the months leading up to the 2026 elections.
Voters and stakeholders interested in understanding Colorado electoral dynamics in 2026 are expected to use the panel discussion and related polling data as reference points for understanding public sentiment on the issues and candidates at stake.