2026 County Candidate Information Guide

Four-year term
Limit: 3 consecutive terms

• U.S. citizen
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Registered elector
• Resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election

Four-year term
Limit: 3 consecutive terms

• U.S. citizen
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Registered elector
• Resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election

Four-year term, three seats
Limit: 2 consecutive terms

• U.S. citizen
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Registered elector
• Resident of the commissioner district within the county, which they are a candidate of, for at least one year prior to the election.

To be a candidate for this office, the individual must have a new complete set of fingerprints taken by a qualified law enforcement agency. The receipt evidencing the fingerprints must be submitted at the time of filing the candidate acceptance form/write-in affidavit with the county clerk. See C.R.S. § 30-10-601.5.

Four-year term
Limit: 5 consecutive terms

• U.S. citizen
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Registered elector
• Resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election
• High School diploma or equivalent or a college degree
• Complete set of fingerprints and proof of fingerprinting
• Has not been convicted of or plead guilty or nolo contendere/no contest to a felony charge (those pardoned are eligible to run)
• Coroner elected on or after November 5, 2024, in a county with a population greater than 150,000, is a death investigator certified by and in good standing with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators or is a forensic pathologist certified by and in good standing with the American Board of Pathology.

To be a candidate for this office, the individual must have a new complete set of fingerprints taken by a qualified law enforcement agency. The receipt evidencing the fingerprints must be submitted at the time of filing the candidate acceptance form/write-in affidavit with the county clerk. See C.R.S. § 30-10-501.5.

Four-year term
Limit: 5 consecutive terms

• U.S. citizen
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Registered elector
• Resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election
• High School diploma or equivalent or a college degree
• Complete set of fingerprints and receipt
• Has not been convicted of or plead guilty or nolo contendere/no contest to a felony charge (those pardoned are eligible to run)

Four-year term
Limit: 3 consecutive terms

• U.S. citizen
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Registered elector
• Resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election
• Professional land surveyor

Four-year term
Limit: 3 consecutive terms

• U.S. citizen
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Registered elector
• Resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election

Candidate by Political Party Nomination

To be eligible for nomination by a major political party at any primary election, a candidate must be registered and affiliated with the party no later than the first business day of the January immediately preceding the primary election, unless party rules state otherwise. See C.R.S. § 1-4-601(4)(a).

A candidate who wishes to gain ballot access through a party assembly must receive at least thirty percent of the votes cast by assembly delegates present and voting for that specific office at the party assembly. See C.R.S. § 1-4-601(2)

• Major party candidates nominated by assembly are placed on the primary election ballot. See C.R.S. § 1-4-601(1).
• No candidate who attempted and failed to receive at least ten percent of the votes cast for that office at the assembly is eligible to run by petition on behalf of that same political party and office. See C.R.S. § 1-4-801(4).

Candidate by Petition

A major party candidate nominated by petition is placed on the primary election ballot. See C.R.S. § 1-4- 801(1).

Candidate Qualifications

• Candidates must be affiliated with the political party no later than the first business day of the January immediately preceding the election for which a person desires to be placed in nomination. See C.R.S. § 1-4-801(3).
• No candidate who attempted and failed to receive at least ten percent of the votes cast at the assembly for a particular office shall be placed in nomination by petition on behalf of that party for the same office. See C.R.S. § 1-4-801(4).

Number of Signatures Required

• The petition must contain, whichever is less: 1,000 signatures or signatures equaling 10% of the votes cast for the same district at the last primary election for the same office and political party. See C.R.S. § 1-4-801(2)(a).
• If no primary election was held, whichever is less: 1,000 signatures or signatures equaling 10% of the votes cast for the same district in the last preceding general election for which there was a candidate for the office. See C.R.S. § 1-4-801(2)(a).

Petition Format and County Clerk Approval Process

• The county clerk and recorder may provide a pre-printed sample petition, or a candidate may create his or her own petition, to be approved by the county clerk and recorder following the statutory requirements outlined in C.R.S. §§ 1-4-901 and 1-4-902.
• The candidate’s name and the office sought must be filled in on each page of the petition section along with the petition warning. See C.R.S. § 1-4-902; C.R.S. § 1-4-801(1).
• A customized petition sample must be submitted to the county clerk for approval. See C.R.S. § 1-4- 903.
• Once the petition is submitted, the county clerk will approve or disapprove the petition format no later than two business days following the submission. See C.R.S. § 1-4-903. Petition packets must be printed single-sided.

Circulation Dates (once petition format is approved)

• No petition may be circulated or signatures obtained prior to the first business day in January. See C.R.S.
  § 1-4-801(5)(a).
• A completed petition must be filed with the county clerk and recorder no later than the close of business on the third Tuesday in March or the seventy-fifth day after the first business day in January, whichever is later. See C.R.S. § 1-4-801(5)(a).

Basic Requirements of Petition Circulators and Affidavit of Circulator

• Be a citizen of the United States. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(1).
• At least 18 years of age at the time the section(s) of the petition was circulated and signed by the listed electors. See C.R.S. §§1-4-905(1) and 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Personally circulate the section of the petition to which the affidavit is attached. See C.R.S.
  § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Ensure each signature on this petition is affixed in their presence. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• To the best of their knowledge and belief each of the persons signing the petition section was, at the time of signing, an eligible elector. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Has not paid or will not in the future pay and believes that no other person has paid or will pay, directly or indirectly, any money or other thing of value to any signer for the purpose of inducing or causing such signer to affix his or her signature to the petition. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Sign and have notarized the Affidavit of Circulator attached to each of his or her completed section(s). See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(b).
• Review C.R.S. § 1-4-905 and § 1-4-905.5 to determine what is required to be included in the exact wording of the circulator affidavit and notary requirements.

Signatory Requirements

• Only eligible electors, including pre-registrants eligible to vote in a primary election, who reside in the district or political subdivision for which the candidate is to be elected may sign the petition. See C.R.S. §§ 1-4-806 and 1-4-904(1).
• Each signer of the petition must be affiliated with the political party named in the petition and shall state the following to the circulator: That the signer has been affiliated with the major political party for at least twenty- two days as shown in the statewide voter registration system and that the signer has not signed any other petition for any other candidate for the same office. See C.R.S. § 1-4-904(2) (a).
• An elector who is physically unable to sign the petition may receive the assistance of any person except the circulator. On the petition immediately following the name of the elector with a disability, the person providing assistance shall sign, provide their address, and state that the assistance was given to the elector with a disability. See C.R.S. § 1-4- 904(4).

Petition Filing Process

• A nomination petition must be filed with:
  • (1) A Candidate Acceptance of Petition Nomination form (C.R.S. § 1-4-906); and
  • (2) A separate list of names, addresses and corresponding section number(s) of all circulators and notaries public who circulated and notarized the petition. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(5). If the list of circulators and notaries public is not filed, the county will create a list for public record and charge a fee to the proponents for the actual cost of preparation. See C.R.S. §1-4-905(5).
• A completed petition must be filed with the county clerk and recorder no later than the close of business on the 3rd Tuesday in March or the seventy-fifth day after the first business day in January, whichever is later. See C.R.S. § 1-4-801(5)(a).
• In accordance with Colorado Secretary of State Election Rule 15 (8 C.C.R. § 1505-1) and C.R.S. § 1-4- 905, all petition sections shall be:
  • Completely assembled; any disassembly may disqualify the section.
  • Returned with an Affidavit of Circulator attached to each section and notarized.
  • Filed with the county clerk and recorder at one time.

Determination of Sufficiency

• All petition sections and signature lines will be verified using C.R.S. § 1-4-901 et seq. and Colorado Secretary of State Election Rule 15 (8 C.C.R. § 1505-1).
• Once the petition is verified, the county clerk and recorder shall notify the candidate of whether the petition is sufficient or insufficient. See C.R.S. § 1-4-908(3).
• If the petition is found to be sufficient, it will be deemed valid unless a petition for review is filed with the district court within five days after the statement of sufficiency is issued. See C.R.S. §§ 1-4-908(3) and 1-4-909.

Miscellaneous

• Petitioners should consider collecting additional signatures over the number required in the event any signatures are found to be invalid.
• Most candidate petitions will take at least five business days to verify.
• If the candidate accesses the ballot by assembly and before the designated election official declares the petition sufficient or insufficient, the county must be informed immediately in order to cease petition review and petition will be considered as never having been submitted. See C.R.S. § 1-4-908(4).
• Review Article XXVIII of the Colorado Constitution and C.R.S. Title 1, Article 45 for information about required campaign finance obligations.

Candidate by Political Party Nomination

In the case of a minor party, a candidate must be registered and affiliated with the party no later than the first business day of the January immediately preceding the general election for which the person was nominated, unless the party bylaws or constitution state otherwise. See C.R.S. § 1-4-1304(2)(b) and (c).

A candidate who wishes to gain ballot access through a party assembly must receive at least thirty percent of the votes cast by assembly delegates who are present and voting for that specific office at the party assembly. See C.R.S. § 1-4-1304(1.5)(b)(II).

• Minor party candidates nominated by assembly are placed on the general election ballot unless there is more than one candidate for that office nominated by assembly and/or petition; then the candidates for that office are placed on the primary election ballot. See C.R.S. § 1-4-1304(1.5)(c).

Candidate by Petition

A minor party candidate nominated by petition is placed on the general election ballot unless there is more than one candidate for that office nominated by assembly and/or petition; then candidates are placed on the primary election ballot. See C.R.S. § 1-4-1304.

Candidate Qualifications
Candidates must be registered as affiliated with the political party no later than the first business day of the January immediately preceding the general election for which the person desires to be placed in nomination. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(g)(II).

Number of Signatures Required and Circulation Dates

• The petition must contain whichever is less: 1,000 signatures or signatures equaling 2% of the votes cast for all candidates for that office in the most recent general election. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(c) (VII).
• Once the county clerk and recorder approves the petition format:
  • The petition shall not be circulated nor any signatures obtained earlier than the first business day in January in the general election year. C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(d)(II).
  • Petitions shall be filed no later than 5 p.m. on the third Tuesday in March or on the seventy-fifth day after the first business day in January, whichever is later. C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(f)(II).

Petition Format and County Clerk Approval Process

• The county clerk and recorder may provide a pre-printed sample petition, or a candidate may create his or her own petition, to be approved by the county clerk and recorder following the statutory requirements outlined in C.R.S. §§ 1-4-901 and 1-4-902.
• The candidate’s name and the office sought must be filled in on each page of the petition section along with the petition warning. See C.R.S. § 1-4-902; C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(a).
• A customized petition sample must be submitted to the county clerk for approval. See C.R.S. § 1-4- 903.
• Once the petition is submitted, the county clerk will approve or disapprove the petition format no later than two business days following the submission. See C.R.S. § 1-4-903.
• Petition packets must be printed single-sided.

Basic Requirements of Petition Circulators and Affidavit of Circulator

• Be a citizen of the United States. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(1).
• At least 18 years of age at the time the section(s) of the petition was circulated and signed by the listed electors. See C.R.S. §§ 1-4-905(1) and 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Personally circulate the section of the petition to which the affidavit is attached. See C.R.S. § 1-4- 905(2)(a).
• Ensure each signature on this petition is affixed in their presence. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• To the best of their knowledge and belief each of the persons signing the petition section was, at the time of signing, an eligible elector. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Has not paid or will not in the future pay and believes that no other person has paid or will pay, directly or indirectly, any money or other thing of value to any signer for the purpose of inducing or causing such signer to affix his or her signature to the petition. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Sign and have notarized the Affidavit of Circulator attached to each of his or her completed section(s). See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(b).
• Review C.R.S. §§ 1-4-905 and 1-4-905.5 to determine what is required to be included in the exact wording of the circulator affidavit and notary requirements.

Signatory Requirements

• Only eligible electors, including pre-registrants eligible to vote in a primary election, who reside in the district or political subdivision for which the candidate is to be elected may sign the petition. See C.R.S. §§§ 1-4-802(1)(c), 1-4-806 and 1-4-904(1).
• Petitions to nominate candidates from a minor political party or unaffiliated candidates in a partisan election may be signed by any eligible elector who has not signed any other petition for any other candidate for the same office. See C.R.S. § 1-4-904(2)(b).
• An elector who is physically unable to sign the petition may receive the assistance of any person except the circulator. On the petition immediately following the name of the elector with a disability, the person providing assistance shall sign, provide their address, and state that the assistance was given to the elector with a disability. See C.R.S. § 1-4-904(4).

Petition Filing Process

• A nomination petition must be filed with:
  • (1) A Candidate Acceptance of Petition Nomination form (C.R.S. § 1-4-906); and
  • (2) A separate list of names, addresses and corresponding section number(s) of all circulators and notary publics who circulated and notarized the petition. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(5). If the list of circulators and notaries public is not filed, the county will create a list for public record and charge a fee to the proponents for the actual cost of preparation. See C.R.S. §1-4- 905(5).
• A completed petition must be filed with the county clerk and recorder’s office no later than 5 p.m. on the third Tuesday in March or on the seventy-fifth day after the first business day in January, whichever is later. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(f)(II).
• In accordance with Colorado Secretary of State Election Rule 15 (8 C.C.R. § 1505-1) and C.R.S. 1-4- 905, all petition sections shall be:
  • Completely assembled; any disassembly may disqualify the section.
  • Returned with an Affidavit of Circulator attached to each section and notarized.
  • Filed with the county clerk and recorder at one time.

Determination of Sufficiency

• All petition sections and signature lines will be verified using C.R.S. § 1-4-901 et seq. and Colorado Secretary of State Election Rule 15 (8 C.C.R. § 1505-1).
• Once the petition is verified, the county clerk and recorder shall notify the candidate of whether the petition is sufficient or insufficient. See C.R.S. § 1-4-908(3).
• If the petition is found to be sufficient, it will be deemed valid unless a petition for review is filed with the district court within five days after the statement of sufficiency is issued. See C.R.S. §§ 1-4-908(3) and 1-4-909.

Miscellaneous

• Petitioners should consider collecting additional signatures over the number required in the event any signatures are found to be invalid.
• Most candidate petitions will take at least five business days to verify.
• Review Article XXVIII of the Colorado Constitution and Title 1, Article 45 of the Colorado Revised Statutes for information about required campaign finance obligations.

Unaffiliated candidates nominated by petition are placed on the general election ballot.

Candidate Qualifications

Unaffiliated candidates must be registered in the statewide voter registration system no later than the first business day of the January immediately preceding the general election for which the person desires to be placed in nomination. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(g)(II).

Number of Signatures Required and Circulation Date

• The petition must contain whichever is less: 1,000 signatures or signatures equaling 2% of the votes cast for all candidates for that office in the most recent general election. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(c) (VII).
• Once the county clerk and recorder approves the petition format;
  • The petition shall not be circulated nor any signatures be obtained prior to one hundred seventy-three days before the general election. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1) (d)(I).
  • Petitions shall be filed no later than 5 p.m. on the one hundred seventeenth day before the general election with the county clerk and recorder. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(f)(I).

Petition Format and County Clerk Approval Process

• The county clerk and recorder may provide a pre-printed sample petition, or a candidate may create his or her own petition, following the statutory requirements outlined in C.R.S. §§ 1-4-901 and 1-4- 902, to be approved by the county clerk and recorder.
• The candidate’s name and the office sought must be filled in on each page of the petition section along with the petition warning. See C.R.S. §§ 1-4-802(1)(a) and 1-4-902.
• The petition must contain the name and address of the candidate and must designate in not more than three words the political or other name selected by the signers to identify an unaffiliated candidate. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(a).
• No name of any political party shall be used, in whole or in part, to identify an unaffiliated candidate. See C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(a).
• A customized petition sample must be submitted to the county clerk for approval. See C.R.S. § 1-4- 903.
• Once the petition is submitted, the county clerk and recorder will approve or disapprove the petition format no later than two business days following the submission. See C.R.S. § 1-4-903.
• Petition packets must be printed single-sided.

Requirements of Petition Circulators and Affidavit of Circulator

• Be a citizen of the United States. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(1).
• At least 18 years of age at the time the section(s) of the petition was circulated and signed by the listed electors. See C.R.S. § § 1-4-905(1) and 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Personally circulate the section of the petition to which the affidavit is attached. See C.R.S. § 1-4- 905(2)(a).
• Ensure each signature on this petition is affixed in their presence. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• To the best of their knowledge and belief each of the persons signing the petition section was, at the time of signing, an eligible elector. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Has not paid or will not in the future pay and believes that no other person has paid or will pay, directly or indirectly, any money or other thing of value to any signer for the purpose of inducing or causing such signer to affix his or her signature to the petition. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2)(a).
• Sign and have notarized the Affidavit of Circulator attached to each of his or her completed section(s). See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(2).
• Review C.R.S. §§ 1-4-905 and 1-4-905.5 to determine what is required to be included in the exact wording of the circulator affidavit and notary requirements.

Signatory Requirements

• Only eligible electors including pre-registrants eligible to vote in a primary election, who reside in the district or political subdivision for which the candidate is to be elected may sign the petition. C.R.S. §§§ 1-4-802(1)(c), 1-4-806, and 1-4-904(1).
• Petitions to nominate candidates from a minor political party or unaffiliated candidates in a partisan election may be signed by any eligible elector who has not signed any other petition for any other candidate for the same office. See C.R.S. § 1-4-904(2)(b).
• An elector who is physically unable to sign the petition may receive the assistance of any person except the circulator. On the petition immediately following the name of the elector with a disability, the person providing assistance shall sign, provide their address, and shall state that the assistance was given to the elector with a disability. See C.R.S. § 1-4-904(4).

Petition Filing Process

• A nomination petition must be filed with:
  • (1) A Candidate Acceptance of Petition Nomination form (see C.R.S. § 1-4-906); and
  • (2) A separate list of names, addresses and corresponding section number(s) of all circulators and notaries public who circulated and notarized the petition. See C.R.S. § 1-4-905(5). If the list of circulators and notaries public is not filed, the county will create a list for public record and charge a fee to the proponents for the actual cost of preparation. See C.R.S. §1-4- 905(5).
• A completed petition shall be filed with the county clerk and recorder’s office no later than 5 p.m. on the one hundred seventeenth day before the general election. C.R.S. § 1-4-802(1)(f)(I).
• In accordance with Colorado Secretary of State Election Rule 15 (8 C.C.R. § 1505-1) and C.R.S. 1-4- 905, all petition sections shall be:
  • Completely assembled; any disassembly may disqualify the section.
  • Returned with an Affidavit of Circulator attached to each section and notarized.
  • Filed with the county clerk and recorder at one time.

Determination of Sufficiency

• All petition sections and signature lines will be verified using C.R.S. § 1-4-901 et seq. and Colorado Secretary of State Election Rule 15 (8 C.C.R. § 1505-1).
• Once the petition is verified, the county clerk and recorder shall notify the candidate if the petition is sufficient or insufficient no later than ninety-six days before the general election via statement of sufficiency. See C.R.S. § 1-4-908(3).
• If the petition is found to be sufficient, it will be deemed valid unless a petition for review is made in writing within five days after the statement of sufficiency is issued. See C.R.S. §§ 1-4-908(3) and C.R.S. § 1-4-909.

Miscellaneous

• Petitioners should consider collecting additional signatures over the number required in the event any signatures are found to be invalid.
• Most candidate petitions will take at least five business days to verify.
• Review Article XXVIII of the Colorado Constitution and Title 1, Article 45 of the Colorado Revised Statutes for information about required campaign finance obligations.

A person who wants to be a write-in candidate for an office in an election shall file an affidavit of intent stating that they desire the office and are qualified to assume its duties if elected. See C.R.S. § 1-4- 1101(1).

Candidate Affidavit of Intent

No write-in vote for an office in an election shall be counted unless the person for whom the vote was cast filed the required Affidavit of Intent. See C.R.S. § 1-4-1101(2). The Affidavit of Intent shall be filed stating that the candidate desires the office and is qualified to assume duties, if elected. See C.R.S. § 1-4-1101(1).

Filing Process

The affidavit shall be filed with the county clerk and recorder if it is for a county office, no later than the close of business on the sixty-seventh day before the primary and by the close of business on the one hundred tenth day before any other election. See C.R.S. § § 1-4-1101(1) and 1-4-1102(1).

Defeated Candidate Ineligible

No person who has been defeated as a candidate in a primary election shall be eligible for election to the same office by ballot or as a write in candidate in the next general election unless the party vacancy committee nominates that person. See C.R.S. § 1-4-105.