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Civil unions introduced on first day of Democrat-led legislature

DENVER — State lawmakers went back to work Wednesday morning on a historic morning at the Capitol.

Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, became Colorado’s first openly gay Speaker of the House and was officially handed the gavel by Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch.

It was a moment ripe with symbolism, coming seven months after McNulty killed Ferrandino’s civil unions legislation on the session’s penultimate day.

With Ferrandino’s elevation and the new 37-member Democratic House majority, Democrats no control both legislative chambers on the Capitol’s second floor, with Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper presiding one floor below.

The session could be a challenge for Hickenlooper if Democrats send a stream of increasingly partisan legislation to the moderate governor’s desk.

Marijuana legalization task force meets for first time Monday

DENVER – The task force formed by Gov. John Hickenlooper to figure out how to mesh Colorado laws with the pot-legalizing Amendment 64 met for the first time Monday.

The Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force met at noon at the Department of Revenue’s building. The meeting was open to the public.

The task force – a group of 24 including marijuana activists, lobbyists, state lawmakers and state officials – will create regulations for the state’s new recreational marijuana industry.

Sergio: One Nation, Two Choices

FOX31 Denver has complete election night coverage on the air and online featuring political perspectives and analysis from across the spectrum. On Monday, former GOP lawmaker Rob Witwer and former Colorado Democratic Party Chairwoman Pat Waak offered a preview of what to watch for tonight.

Here, KBNO’s Fernando Sergio offers his thoughts on the democratic process that plays out every four years.

DENVER — Every four years Americans across this great nation exercise the incredible privilege of electing a President. It is one of the cornerstones of our democracy, the greatest in the world, that sometimes creates an atmosphere of confusion with the barrage of political advertisements and talking points that voters are subjected to.

Where to Vote in Colorado

DENVER — Election Day is almost here. Do you know where your voting center is?

The first step is to make sure you are registered to vote. Voter registration ended on Oct. 9. You can check your registration status on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website.

If you are looking for voting information for your county, visit this website, which has an interactive map of clerks and recorders offices by county around the state. 

Checking your registration status will also allow you find out which voting location you should go to on Election Day.  You can use the Google map below to find the closest polling place to your home. Just enter your address below.

John Elway endorses Mitt Romney

DENVER — President Barack Obama’s challenger drew a heavy hitter to his rally in Denver Monday night. That would be the Denver Broncos’ John Elway.

“Tonight, I get the opportunity to introduce to you the next President of the United States, governor Mitt Romney,” the two-time Super Bowl champion boomed out in his famous raspy baritone. 

At Romney’s rally at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Lowry, Elway continued to call Romney a “proven leader with the experience and background to turn around our struggling economy.”

“America needs a comeback team,” Elway, a veteran of many a fourth quarter comeback, said. “Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are that team.”

Our Eli Stokols capitalized on that rhetoric from Elway, using it as a lead-in to a question you wanted answered.

Your Questions Answered: Watch Mitt Romney’s exclusive pre-debate interview on FOX31

DENVER — Down in most polls and running out of time, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is looking at Wednesday night’s debate here at the University of Denver as perhaps his last, best chance of convincing the American people that he should be the country’s next president.

On Monday night, just prior to a rally at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Romney will sit down with FOX31 Denver for his last television interview before what many observers are calling the most important night of his political life.

Colorado State Senate comes in a half-million dollars under budget for fiscal year 2011-2012

On Monday, budget numbers released by the office of the Colorado State Senate Secretary indicate that through a number of cost-saving measures the Senate was able to return almost half a million dollars to the general fund this year.