Unaffiliated, RTD candidates are circulating petitions

DENVER, May 17, 2018 -- Today is the first day unaffiliated candidates and RTD hopefuls can begin circulating petitions to get on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

The list of unaffiliated and Regional Transportation District candidates is available on the SOS website and will be updated as candidates get their petition formats approved or turn in their signatures, Secretary of State Wayne Williams announced.

Under state law, unaffiliated candidates can choose a party name as long it is not already recognized in Colorado. Some candidates chose to stay with the unaffiliated classification, others declared to be independent and still others chose to be members of the Approval Voting Party. However, they are all unaffiliated candidates.

The requirements for this group are less arduous than for Democrats or Republicans, who petitioned on to the ballot earlier this year:

• Unaffiliated candidates running for statewide office need only collect 1,000 signatures, compared to major-party hopefuls who had to collect 1,500 signatures in each of the state's seven congressional districts. Also, unaffiliated state House candidates need only 400 valid signatures -- Republicans and Democrats must collect 1,000 for that office. Candidates for RTD need 250 signatures.
• Republicans and Democrats must collect signatures from their own party members. Unaffiliated candidates can get a signature from any valid voter, as long as that voter has not already signed a petition for another candidate for the same office
• Unaffiliated and RTD candidates are allowed to try to collect more signatures if they have been declared insufficient. The petitions are due back to the Secretary of State's office by 3 p.m. July 12.