February 1, 2024
Update on Coroner Appointment Process
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The Appointed Coroner Will Hold Office Until January 2025
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- A new Coroner will be appointed by the Boulder County Commissioners on Feb. 20.
- People can watch the interviews taking place on Feb. 6 and Feb. 15.
- The commissioners will choose someone to fill the role of Coroner until January 2025.
- Boulder County voters can vote for a Coroner in November's election.
- To receive this information in another language, call or email Gloria Handyside 303-441-1622 ghandyside@bouldercounty.gov
Applications are now closed for the position of Boulder County Coroner, which was vacated in January. Interviews will be held on February 6 at 1 p.m. and February 15 at 2 p.m. All interviews will take place in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room (1325 Pearl Street, Boulder).
Members of the public are invited to observe the interviews in-person, online via Zoom, or by phone. No registration is required. Meeting links are available in the Commissioners’ Advance Agenda, which is updated weekly.
Following the interview process, a Coroner will be appointed on February 20.
Change to Appointment Length
The individual appointed to fill the position of Coroner by the Boulder County Commissioners will hold the office until January 14, 2025 (approximately 10 months) – and not, as previously stated, until January 2027.
There are several legal authorities that govern the length of appointment for a vacancy in the office of a county elected official. The previously advertised appointment length followed Colorado Revised Statute section 1-12-209 “Terms of persons filling vacancies”, which states that “the officers shall hold the office during the unexpired term for which they were elected” – which would have been until an elected successor took office in January 2027.
The Colorado Secretary of State recently informed Boulder County that they would prefer the county follow C.R.S. 1-12-205 “Vacancies in county offices”. According to this statute, an appointed Coroner serves until a Coroner is elected in the next General Election and takes office. The statute does not prevent an appointed Coroner from running for the elected office.
This means the office of Boulder County Coroner will be up for election in the November 2024 General Election. The individual elected Coroner during the 2024 General Election will complete the rest of the Coroner’s term, which would be until January 2027. The position will be up for election to a full four-year term in the 2026 General Election.
Have the required qualifications for the appointed Coroner changed?
No, the qualifications have not changed for the appointed Coroner position. Requirements are as follows:
- Resident of Boulder County (at time of appointment, February 20, 2024)
- Over the age of 18 years old
- Has earned a high school diploma or its equivalent, or a college degree
- Is a citizen of the United States
- Has given a set of fingerprints in accordance with R.S. 30-10-601.5(2)
- No felony record – including having been convicted of, plead guilty to, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to any felony charge under federal or state law
When will the Coroner be appointed?
Following the public interview process, the Boulder County Commissioners will appoint a Coroner on February 20, 2024.
Why does the new appointment serve until January 2025 if the election is in November 2024?
Although a new Coroner will be elected in November 2024, the Coroner-Elect is not sworn into office until the second Tuesday of January 2025.
Can the appointed Coroner run for the elected position of Coroner in November’s 2024 General Election?
Yes – if they meet the candidate qualifications included below. The residency requirement to appear on the ballot is more stringent. Please see below.
In order to continue to be the Boulder County Coroner beyond January 14, 2025, the appointed Coroner would have to be a successful candidate on the November 2024 ballot.
What are the required qualifications for a candidate to run for Coroner in the 2024 General Election?
- Resident of Boulder County
- To appear on the ballot, a candidate must be a Boulder County resident for at least one year prior to the 2024 General Election. In other words, a candidate needs to have been a Boulder County resident as of November 6, 2023
- Over the age of 18 years old
- Has earned a high school diploma or its equivalent, or a college degree
- Is a citizen of the United States
- Has given a set of fingerprints in accordance with R.S. 30-10-601.5(2)
- No felony record – including having been convicted of, plead guilty to, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to any felony charge under federal or state law
What is the process for becoming a candidate for Coroner in the 2024 General Election?
- It is recommended that candidates consult with legal counsel regarding all election deadlines and legal requirements.
- Candidates affiliated with a political party should contact their respective party as soon as possible regarding the party's requirements and deadlines. Major party candidates interested in running will need to access the November 2024 General Election ballot through the June 2024 State Primary Election.
- Candidates are required to file with the Secretary of State on their TRACER system within 10 days of publicly announcing their candidacy.
- The candidate must provide proof to the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder that they meet the required qualifications.
- All candidates should contact the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s Office to submit for fingerprinting as soon as possible.
The 2024 Election Calendar, published by the Secretary of State as a reference guide, contains important election deadlines. More information is also available in the Boulder County Clerk & Recorder’s Candidate Information Guide.
How long is the term of an elected Coroner?
The individual elected in the November 2024 General Election will serve the remaining two years of the previous elected Coroner’s term and be up for election again in the 2026 General Election.
The term of an elected Coroner is four (4) years with a limit of five consecutive terms.
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