The Democratic and Republican parties are the major political organizations in Colorado. Although both parties were in existence when Colorado achieved statehood, the Republicans controlled most statewide offices prior to 1900. Since then, the parties have been more evenly balanced. Of the 2,490,088 registered voters in 2002, 30% were estimated to be Democratic, 36% Republican, and 33% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In 2000, 51% of all Coloradan voters cast their ballots for Republican George W. Bush; Democrat Al Gore won 42% of the vote; Green Party candidate Ralph Nader won 5% of the vote. The state had eight electoral votes in the 2000 presidential election.
Following the election in November 2002, the state had two Republican US senators, and five Republican and two Democratic US representatives. Ben Nighthorse Campbell was elected US senator in 1992 as a Democrat. The only Native American in Congress, Campbell switched parties in March 1995. When he successfully ran for reelection in 1998, it was as a Republican. Another Republican, Wayne Allard, was elected to the Senate in 1996 and reelected in 2002.
In 2003 the Republicans controlled the state senate (18 Republicans to 17 Democrats) and the state house (37 Republicans to 28 Democrats). Colorado's governor, Republican Bill Owens, was elected in 1998, succeeding Democrat Roy Romer, who had been in office for the maximum two terms. Owens was the first Republican elected to the governor's office in 28 years, and he was reelected in 2002. In 2003, Colorado had the 2nd-highest representation of women in its state legislature, with 34% (Washington was first with 36.7%).