Unaffiliated voters are now the majority in Colorado, a significant milestone that solidifies the state's independent political identity.

By the numbers: 50.3% of the state's registered voters opted not to join a political party, according to the Sept. 1 tallies from the Secretary of State's Office.

The fine print: The number does not include pre-registered voters who are not yet eligible to vote.

Flashback: Voters approved Proposition 108 in 2016 allowing unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections.

Zoom in: Mircalla Wozniak, a spokesperson with the Boulder County Clerk's Office, told us the county has mirrored the statewide trend, with unaffiliated voter numbers increasing steadily since 2016.

• As of Sept. 1, a total of 130,514 of Boulder County's 258,993 voters are registered as unaffiliated, according to the county clerk's site.
• Meanwhile, 97,009 voters are registered as Democrats, and 26,298 are Republicans.

Context: On Sept. 1, 2015, there were 99,132 voters registered in Boulder County as unaffiliated compared to 97,832 Democrats and 44,103 Republicans.

Between the lines: .In a heavily-Democratic area like Boulder County, even Republicans can be incentivized to register unaffiliated in the wake of Prop 108, as many local races are decided in the primaries

What they're saying: "There is no incentive anymore for a voter to register with a party," aside from personal identity, Colorado State University political science professor Kyle Saunders recently told the Denver Post.

The big picture: Colorado still trails Massachusetts and Alaska, where 60% or more of voters are registered independent.

Even if the Pacific Ocean seems far away, a taste of the Hawaiian islands awaits in downtown Boulder.

Diving in: While poke places are all the rage in Denver, Pearl Poke is the only dedicated shop I could find in the city of Boulder, not counting sushi spots that happen to serve bowls.

The vibe: Pearl Poke, which opened at 2010 10th St. in March, offers a fast-casual, walk-the-line experience where customers build their own bowls — like a Hawaiian-style Chipotle, with fresh fish, crispy toppings and customizable sauces on full display.

What to expect: There are two types of bowls at Pearl Poke: "Mainland" and "Island" styles.

• The Island bowls offer a few set options that resemble what you would see in Hawaii. I went with their OGG, the basic tuna, onions and soy sauce.
• Meanwhile visitors get to create their own Mainland bowls, customizing everything from the type of rice to sauce and veggies.

💭 My thought bubble: As the naming system implies, the primary difference between the bowls is the toppings. It's nice that this place caters to both styles.

• Plus, the prices and portions are very reasonable.

If you go: Pearl Poke is open 11:30am-8pm daily.

Grab a fishing buddy

Of course, there's no reason you have to go out to celebrate National Poke Day.

If you want to make your own poke, I've got a simple family recipe for you here.

Context: Poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish of raw, cubed fish that's marinated with various toppings and seasonings like seaweed and onions.

• The name "poke" means "to slice" or "to cut" in Hawaiian, referring to how the fish is prepared.
• While the most common version usually involves raw tuna, variations use everything from marlin and salmon to shrimp or octopus.

What you need: Obviously, the main ingredient is the fish. The fresher the better, but that's easier said than done in some parts of the country.

• If you can't find tuna, marlin and salmon are good alternatives.
• It goes without saying, this is not the time for catfish.

Preperation: Good news, no cooking involved! The bad news, making poke is more art than a science. Everything from the type of fish to the brand of soy sauce can yield different flavor. So I will give you measurements, but in truth, I just make it to taste.

Get the full recipe