Alert: Due to the passage of HB12-1292, the deadline for submitting unaffiliated and nonpartisan candidate petitions is now 3:00 PM on July 12. Please see Step 9 below.

 

Have you announced your candidacy and filed the required campaign finance forms?

Yes, continue to Step 1.

No, I need to become a candidate.

 

Steps

1. Eligibility for nomination
2. Petition signature requirements
3. Review sample format
4. Update the sample petition format
5. Submit final petition format for approval
6. Receive approval for petition format
7. Start circulating petition
8. Stop circulating petition
9. Submit petition and candidate acceptance form
10. Signature verification and notice of sufficiency or insufficiency
11. Submit audio recording
12. Additional filing requirements

 

 

Step 1: Eligibility for nomination

Candidates must meet the basic qualifications for office.

In order to be eligible to circulate a petition, a person must be a resident of the state, a citizen of the United States, and at least 18 years of age. [1]

Review the election calendar (PDF) for specific dates.

 

Step 2: Petition signature requirements

A petition must contain at least 5,000 signatures from eligible electors who have not signed a petition for any other candidate for the same office. [2]

 

Step 3: Review sample format

Petition formats must be approved by the Secretary of State prior to circulation. [3]

Sample Petition Format - Unaffiliated (DOC)

 

Step 4: Update the sample petition format

Update the sample petition to replace all of the red instructional text with your specific information.

The petition must contain the name and address of the joint candidates (president and vice president) and must designate, in not more than three words, the political or other name that the candidate selects. No name of any political party may be used, in whole or in part, for this purpose.

Candidates may include one or more unaffiliated registered electors on the petition format that are designated as the vacancy committee. [4]

 

Step 5: Submit final petition format for approval

You may submit either a hard or electronic copy of your final petition format to the Secretary of State for approval.

Hard copies should be mailed or hand delivered to:

Colorado Secretary of State
Attention:  Ballot Access
1700 Broadway, Suite 200
Denver CO, 80290

Electronic copies should be emailed (in PDF) to: ballot.access@sos.state.co.us

Once submitted, the Secretary of State will approve or disapprove each petition format no later than two days following the submission. [5]

 

Step 6: Receive approval for petition format

Our office will email you a letter of approval or disapproval. [6]

For a faster response, please provide an email address where we can send your letter of approval/disapproval.

 

Step 7: Start circulating petition

Once your petition format is approved, begin circulating the petiton according to the specified dates. 

For circulation dates please review the election calendar (PDF).

 

Step 8: Stop circulating petition

For circulation dates please review the election calendar (PDF).

 

Step 9: Submit petition with candidate and electors' acceptance forms

The completed petition must be filed no later than 3:00 PM on the 117th day before the general election. [7]

1. Complete the President Candidate Acceptance (PDF) and the Vice President Candidate Acceptance (PDF) forms.
   
   The candidate acceptance forms must state each candidate’s name as it will appear on the ballot.  [8]
   
   
2. Complete the Presidential Electors' Acceptance of Nomination (PDF) form.
   
   
3. Include all three forms with the completed petition.
   
   
4. Mail or hand deliver to:
   
   Colorado Secretary of State
   Attention:  Ballot Access
   1700 Broadway, Suite 200
   Denver CO, 80290

 

Step 10: Signature verification and notice of sufficiency or insufficiency

Petition signatures will be verified by the Secretary of State and if found to be sufficient, will be deemed valid, unless a protest is made in writing within five days after the statement of sufficiency is issued. [9]

We will notify you of your petition’s sufficiency or insufficiency in writing. For a faster response, please provide an email address where we can send the statement of sufficiency/insufficiency. 

 

 

Step 11: Submit audio recording

Candidate audio recording must be submitted to the Secretary of State no later than 117 days before the general election. 

The audio recording must state the candidate’s name exactly as it appears on the candidate acceptance form, as this is how the candidate’s name will appear on the ballot. [10]

Audio Recording Instructions.

 

Step 12: Additional filing requirements

All candidates for president or vice president should contact the Federal Election Commission for campaign finance information and other requirements not addressed at the state level.

Federal Election Commission
999 E. Street, NW
Washington, DC 20463
1-800-424-9530
Web: www.fec.gov

 

 

 

[1] 1-4-802, C.R.S.
[2] 1-4-802(1)(c)(I) & 1-4-904(1), 2(b), C.R.S.
[3] 1-4-903, C.R.S.
[4] 1-4-802(1) & 1-4-903, C.R.S.
[5] 1-4-903, C.R.S.
[6] 1-4-903, C.R.S.
[7] 1-4-303 & 1-4-802(1)(f)(I), C.R.S.
[8] 1-4-906, C.R.S.
[9] 1-4-908 & 1-4-909(1), C.R.S.
[10] SOS Election Rule 10.4.2