# Colorado's 5th Senate district

Colorado's 5th Senate district is one of 35 districts in the Colorado Senate. It has been represented by Republican Marc Catlin since January 2025.
The district was previously represented by Republicans Perry Will, Bob Rankin, and Democrats Kerry Donovan, and Gail Schwartz.

## Geography

Since being redrawn in 2021, District 5 covers all or parts of Montrose, Delta, Hinsdale, Gunnison, Pitkin, Garfield, and Eagle Counties. There are 22 incorporated cities and towns in the District including Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Crawford, Crested Butte, Delta, Glenwood Springs, Gunnison, Hotchkiss, Lake City, Marble, Montrose, Mt. Crested Butte, New Castle, Olathe, Orchard City, Paonia, Parachute, Pitkin, Rifle, Silt, and Snowmass Village.
The entire Colorado Senate District 5 is within Colorado's 3rd congressional district.
Before being redistricted in January 2022, District 5 was based in the mountain towns of the Rockies, covering all of Chaffee, Delta, Eagle, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Lake, and Pitkin Counties. Communities in the district include Vail, Avon, Basalt, Eagle, Gypsum, Minturn, Edwards, El Jebel, Eagle-Vail, Aspen, Snowmass Village, Leadville, Leadville North, Salida, Buena Vista, Gunnison, Crested Butte, Powderhorn, Delta, Cedaredge, Orchard City, Paonia, and Lake City. Prior to 2022, the district was located primarily within Colorado's 3rd congressional district, also overlapping with the 2nd and 5th congressional districts.

## Recent election results

Colorado state senators are elected to staggered four-year terms. The old 5th district held elections in midterm years, but the new district drawn following the 2020 Census will hold elections in presidential years.
Republican Perry Will was appointed to the senate seat by the Republican Vacancy Committee on January 7, 2023. The seat was vacant because on December 1, 2022 then current senator Bob Rankin announced his intention to resign effective January 10, 2023.
Former Senator Kerry Donovan was term-limited in 2022 regardless, but two Republican senators, Don Coram and Bob Rankin, live within the new boundaries of the 5th district. Coram, whose term ended in 2022, was unable to run for re-election because the seat wasn't up for election. Rankin represented the district beginning in January 2021 and was therefore able to remain as the district Senator.
State Representative Marc Catlin was elected to represent the district in the 2024 Colorado Senate election.

### 2024

2024 Colorado Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Marc Catlin | 46,310 | 52.23 |
| | Democratic | Cole Buerger | 42,357 | 47.77 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 88,667 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2018

2018 Colorado State Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Kerry Donovan (incumbent) | 41,838 | 60.4 |
| | Republican | Olen Lund | 27,375 | 39.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 69,213 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

2014 Colorado State Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Kerry Donovan | 27,526 | 49.0 |
| | Republican | Don Suppes | 26,225 | 46.7 |
| | Libertarian | Lee Mulcahy | 2,374 | 4.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 56,125 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2010

2010 Colorado State Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Gail Schwartz (incumbent) | 26,355 | 51.5% |
| | Republican | Bob Rankin | 25,269 | 48.5% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 51,624 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

2006 Colorado State Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Gail Schwartz | 24,677 | 51.0% |
| | Republican | Lewis Entz (incumbent) | 23,691 | 49.0% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 48,368 | 100 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### Federal and statewide results

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2020 | President | Biden 55.9 – 41.7% |
| 2018 | Governor | Polis 55.0 – 41.4% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 48.5 – 43.5% |
| 2014 | Senate | Udall 48.3 – 46.5% |
| 2014 | Governor | Hickenlooper 51.3 – 43.9% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 51.0 – 46.5% |