Secretary Wayne Williams announces that 35 candidates have turned in petitions to get on the November 6 ballot

DENVER, July 12, 2018 -- Today was the last day for unaffiliated candidates and Regional Transportation District hopefuls to submit petitions to get on the November ballot.

35 candidates submitted petitions. Of these, 17 are unaffiliated candidates running for various offices and 18 candidates are running for RTD. The list is attached.

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 were due back to the Secretary of State's office by 3 p.m. today.

Candidates were allowed to start circulating petitions on May 17.

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. The list of candidates will be updated as the Secretary of State's office deems petitions valid or invalid.

Candidate party abbreviations as shown on the list-

AVP = Approval Voting Party
IND = Independent
UNA = Unaffiliated

2018 General Election candidates who submitted petitions (XLSX)