Colorado Conservation Voters (CCV) works to turn conservation values into Colorado policy. Its mission is to make environmental protection a top priority for voters, political candidates, and elected officials in Colorado. CCV educates the public about the conservation positions of candidates and elected officials, and holds elected officials accountable for their environmental records. CCV is a 501(c)4 organization and was formed in 1998.
In its role as a watchdog organization, CCV produces the Colorado Legislative Environmental Scorecard at the close of each Legislative Session. The Scorecard provides nonpartisan, factual information on how each member of the Colorado Legislature voted on a range of environmental issues. The Scorecard is produced in consultation with an Advisory Committee of environmental experts from across the state. CCV hosts a session tracking system on their website, enabling Coloradans to evaluate their representatives before the close of the legislative year.
CCV has a history of success in Colorado's electoral politics with 19 out of 26 endorsed candidates winning their races in 2008. In 2006, 48 of its 51 endorsed candidates won their races. In 2004, 40 of CCV's 44 endorsed candidates went on to win.
Famous quotes containing the words colorado, conservation and/or voters:
“I am persuaded that the people of the world have no grievances, one against the other. The hopes and desires of a man who tills the soil are about the same whether he lives on the banks of the Colorado or on the banks of the Danube.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.”
—Aristide Briand (1862–1932)
“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or backgammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong, with moral questions; and betting naturally accompanies it. The character of the voters is not staked. I cast my vote, perchance, as I think right; but I am not vitally concerned that right should prevail. I am willing to leave it to the majority.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)