Too old. Too chaotic. Too phony.

And … who’s running?

Almost everyone had an opinion on Super Tuesday, as Denver metro area voting centers saw a steady stream of residents either dropping off ballots or casting votes in-person.

Democrats, Republicans, independent — and even non-voters — didn’t mind talking about the state of politics in America hours before the polls closed in Colorado and more than a dozen states in the busiest day on the primary election calendar.

On Tuesday, more delegates are at stake than at any other point on the road to the White House — roughly one-third of the total delegates available and nearly enough for the major parties’ two frontrunners to lock down the nomination some eight months before the General Election. 

Unaffiliated voter Whitney Dobson of Littleton was in suspense on Monday until it was announced that the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision, which had disqualified Trump from the state ballot based on a rarely-invoked constitutional provision barring candidates who engaged in an insurrection.

“I’m so excited! If he hadn’t have made it on the ballot, I’d have been (expletive)!” she said. 

Other voters at Arapahoe Community College at 5900 South Santa Fe in Littleton were less thrilled about what they saw as an uninspiring choice between Trump and Biden, who have dominated early nominating contests, though Trump is facing a spirited challenge from former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who notched her first primary win on Saturday — in the District of Columbia. Haley was the only presidential candidate to campaign in Colorado ahead of the election. 

People who saw the election only as a contest between Biden or Trump remained unenthused.

“One is crazy and the other is old,” said Democrat Kim Nau, also of Littleton. “They’re both mixing up their words and they’re both getting confused.”

Nau voted for Biden because she agrees with his stance on immigration and on how he’s handled the economy. 

Ultimately, Nau said, “I wish we could all get along.” 

The candidates’ ages were not an issue for self-proclaimed “MAGA Republican” Aaron Axelrod, who is in Trump’s corner because he feels he’s “anti-establishment.” 

Said Axelrod, “I don’t think he’s a criminal.”

He took issue what he saw as the poor way Biden has handled the illegal immigration crisis along America’s southern border, the economy and race relations.

“All lives matter,” he added. 

Ann, of Denver, who did not want her last name used, chose not to vote for the two established candidates.

“I’m not impressed with either one,” she said.

She and her husband, who are both registered independent, split their votes.

She cast her ballot for Democrat Dean Phillips, a representative from Minnesota, and her husband gave a nod to Republican Nikki Haley.

“I’m bummed out,” she said, because she didn’t feel like her vote would amount to change.

“There’s zero chance I was voting for Biden or Trump,” she said.

A protest movement has been mobilizing against Biden over the president’s support for Israel in the war between the Jewish nation and Hamas, urging people to vote “uncommitted.” In Michigan, which Biden won with about 618,000 votes, more than 100,000 Democratic primary voters cast ballots for “uncommitted” in the race, enough to pick up a pair of delegates. Biden had won the state by only 154,000 votes in 2020.

In Boulder, voters trickled slowly into and out of the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office around lunchtime, ready to cast their votes. Meanwhile, those who carried their mail ballots dropped them off at a collection station in the parking lot.

Christopher Lundy, a registered independent and Boulder resident, voted for Haley in-person. He also brought his brother, Eric Lundy, who has a disability, to vote, helping him through the process, he said.

Lundy has followed Haley’s career for a while and said he likes her persona.

While Lundy thought former president and current candidate Donald Trump did a good job handling the COVID-19 pandemic, he said Trump was “just okay” otherwise.

For Lundy, getting to vote for Haley was the most exciting part of the election, he said.

“We’re all excited about Nikki Haley having a slim chance,” he said. “I would love to see her become the first woman president.”

Susan Flake, a Boulder resident and registered Democrat, said she voted for Biden for the sole reason of voting against Trump.

“I’m not wild about the choices, Biden included, but I just don’t want Trump,” Flake said. “I just had to not vote for Trump. Anyone but him.”

Flake’s partner, who declined to offer his real name because he said his views are “radical” and he did not want people attacking him for it, said he voted “uncommitted” because he did not like the options.

“I can appreciate Joe for his good intentions, but ever since he’s been a politician, he’s always been supporting wars and jumping on the war bandwagon,” he said. “I’d like to vote for the peace and prosperity platform, and I’m not seeing that as a choice.”

Another Boulder voter also declined to give her full name and requested to just be called “Ro” because, as a registered Republican who voted for Trump, she said she did not want people to “come after her” for her opinions in the election.

“There was only one choice on my ballot and that was Donald Trump,” she said. “The Biden administration is not doing anything, they’re not keeping us safe … I needed to vote and he deserves my vote.”

Zia Rahim, a Democrat from Centennial, was for Biden all the way, partly due to his “ability to work the other side.” Biden’s age, 81, was a plus for Rahim, who said Biden “makes it happen. He knows the government like the back of his hand.”

“He should be in prison, really,” Rahim said of Trump. 

Eight million young Americans who have never voted before since the 2022 midterms are eligible to vote this year, according to The Center for Information and Research On Civic Learning and Engagement.  

In the Western region, White and Latino youth will both make up about 40% of young people eligible to vote in their first presidential election. But how many of those youth are engaged enough to vote?

Cammy Munk, a 19-year-old third-year student Arapahoe Community College, did not know that it was Election Day and blamed her high school for failing to get her more prepared.

She said that she would be more interested in the election if younger candidates with a fresher perspective were running.

“I don’t think my vote is that important. I’m just one person,” the history major said. “But then everyone thinks that.” 

Reporter Ernest Luning and the Associated Press contributed to this article.