(1) Candidates for
political party nominations to be made by primary election may be placed on the
primary election ballot by petition. Every petition to nominate candidates for a
primary election shall state the name of the office for which the person is a
candidate and the candidate's name and address and shall designate in not more
than three words the name of the political party which the candidate represents. No
petition shall contain the name of more than one person for the same office.
(2) The signature requirements for the petition are as follows:
(a) Every petition in the case of a candidate for any county office must be
signed by electors eligible to vote within the county commissioner district or
political subdivision for which the officer is to be elected. Except as otherwise
provided in subsection (2)(e) of this section, the petition requires the lesser of one
thousand signers or signers equal in number to ten percent of the votes cast in the
political subdivision at the contested or uncontested primary election for the
political party's candidate for the office for which the petition is being circulated or,
if there was no primary election, at the last preceding general election for which
there was a candidate for the office. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an
unaffiliated elector is not eligible to sign a petition for a candidate of a major
political party.
(a.5) Every petition in the case of a candidate for a member of the United
States house of representatives, member of the state board of education for a
congressional district, or member of the board of regents of the university of
Colorado for a congressional district must be signed by eligible electors resident
within the district for which the officer is to be elected. The petition requires the
lesser of one thousand five hundred signers or signers equal in number to ten
percent of the votes cast in the district at the contested or uncontested primary
election for the political party's candidate for the office for which the petition is
being circulated or, if there was no primary election, at the last preceding general
election for which there was a candidate for the office.
(b) Every petition in the case of a candidate for member of the general
assembly or any district office greater than a county office must be signed by
eligible electors resident within the district for which the officer is to be elected.
The petition requires the lesser of one thousand signers or signers equal to thirty
percent of the votes cast in the district at the contested or uncontested primary
election for the political party's candidate for the office for which the petition is
being circulated or, if there was no primary election, at the last preceding general
election for which there was a candidate for the office.
(b.5) Every petition in the case of a candidate for the office of district
attorney must be signed by eligible electors resident within the district for which
the officer is to be elected. The petition requires the lesser of one thousand signers
or signers equal in number to ten percent of the votes cast in the district at the
contested or uncontested primary election for the political party's candidate for the
office for which the petition is being circulated or, if there was no primary election,
at the last preceding general election for which there was a candidate for the
office.
(c) (I) Repealed.
(II) Every petition in the case of a candidate for the office of governor or the
office of United States senator must be signed by at least one thousand five
hundred eligible electors in each congressional district.
(c.5) Every petition in the case of a candidate for the office of secretary of
state, attorney general, or state treasurer must be signed by at least one thousand
eligible electors in each congressional district.
(c.7) Every petition in the case of a candidate for the office of an at-large
seat on either the state board of education or the board of regents of the university
of Colorado must be signed by at least five hundred eligible electors in each
congressional district.
(d) (Deleted by amendment, L. 93, p. 1405, � 29, effective July 1, 1993.)
(e) Where the electors of the county have voted to increase the membership
of the board of county commissioners from three to five pursuant to section 30-10-306.5, C.R.S., or to decrease the membership of the board from five to three
pursuant to section 30-10-306.7, C.R.S., for the next two primary elections
immediately following an election at which the voters have approved the change in
the membership of the board, the signature requirements for the petition are as
follows:
(I) Where any one or more commissioners to be elected to the board of
county commissioners will be voted on by voters of the whole county, every petition
must require signers equal in number to twenty percent of the average of all votes
cast in each commissioner district in the county during the prior two contested or
uncontested primary elections for the political party's candidates in each county
commissioner district that held a primary election in either of those elections. If no
primary election was held in either year, the calculation must be based on the most
recent preceding general election for which the party had a candidate on the ballot,
and every petition must require signers equal in number to twenty percent of the
average of all votes cast for the political party's candidates for commissioner in
each commissioner district in which the party had a candidate on the ballot.
(II) Where any one or more commissioners to be elected to the board of
county commissioners will be voted on only by the electors residing in a particular
county commissioner district, the determination of the required number of signers
must begin with a calculation of the average of all votes cast in each commissioner
district in the county during the prior two contested or uncontested primary
elections for the political party's candidates in the county commissioner districts
that held a primary election in either of those elections. Upon a determination of the
average, that number must then be divided by the total number of commissioner
districts in the county where commissioners are voted on only by the electors
residing in the district, whether three or five. After completing this calculation,
every petition must require signers equal in number to twenty percent of the
number realized. If no primary election was held in either year, the calculation must
be based on the most recent preceding general election for which the party had a
candidate on the ballot, and every petition must require signers equal in number to
the following calculation:
(A) Twenty percent of the average of all votes cast for the political party's
candidates for commissioner in each commissioner district in which the party had a
candidate on the ballot; and
(B) Divide the number found in sub-subparagraph (A) of this subparagraph (II)
by the total number of commissioner districts in the county where commissioners
are voted on only by the electors residing in the district, whether three or five.
(f) Following the first two primary elections that are conducted after a
change in the membership of the board of county commissioners pursuant to
section 30-10-306.5 or 30-10-306.7, C.R.S., in accordance with the requirements of
paragraph (e) of this subsection (2), the signature requirements for a petition for a
county commissioner candidate who is affiliated with a major political party must
follow the procedures specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection (2).
(3) No person shall be placed in nomination by petition on behalf of any
political party unless the person was affiliated with the political party, as shown in
the statewide voter registration system, no later than the first business day of the
January immediately preceding the election for which the person desires to be
placed in nomination.
(4) No person who attempted and failed to receive at least ten percent of the
votes for the nomination of a political party assembly for a particular office shall be
placed in nomination by petition on behalf of the political party for the same office.
(5) (a) Party petitions shall not be circulated nor any signatures be obtained
prior to the first business day in January. Petitions must be filed no later than the
close of business on the third Tuesday in March, or on the seventy-fifth day after
the first business day in January, whichever is later.
(b) Repealed.
(6) A candidate for a presidential primary election shall not begin circulating
petitions before the first Monday in November of the year preceding the year in
which the presidential primary election is held. A candidate must file a petition no
later than the close of business on the eighty-fifth day before the date of the
presidential primary election.
Source: L. 92: Entire part R&RE, p. 684, � 7, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: (2) amended, p. 1405, � 29, effective July 1. L. 98: (2)(a) to (2)(c) amended, p. 634, �
6, effective May 6. L. 99: (5) amended, p. 764, � 24, effective May 20. L. 2000: (1)
amended, p. 2029, � 5, effective August 2. L. 2005: (5) amended, p. 1399, � 16,
effective June 6; (5) amended, p. 1434, � 16, effective June 6. L. 2010: (3) amended,
(HB 10-1271), ch. 324, p. 1502, � 4, effective May 27. L. 2011: (5) amended, (SB 11-189), ch. 243, p. 1064, � 9, effective May 27. L. 2013: (2)(a) amended and (2)(e) and
(2)(f) added, (SB 13-243), ch. 268, p. 1410, � 1, effective May 24. L. 2016: (3)
amended, (SB 16-142), ch. 173, p. 576, � 30, effective May 18. Initiated 2016: (6)
added, Proposition 107, effective upon proclamation of the Governor, December 27,
2016. See L. 2017, p. 2820. L. 2017: (5) amended, (SB 17-209), ch. 234, p. 946, � 2,
effective August 9. L. 2018: (2)(a) amended, (SB 18-233), ch. 262, p. 1607, � 10,
effective May 29. L. 2019: (2)(a), (2)(b), (2)(c)(II), and (6) amended and (2)(a.5),
(2)(b.5), (2)(c.5), and (2)(c.7) added, (HB 19-1278), ch. 326, p. 3011, � 18, effective
August 2. L. 2020: (5) amended, (HB 20-1359), ch. 23, p. 85, � 6, effective March 16. L. 2021: (5)(a) and (6) amended, (SB 21-250), ch. 282, p. 1640, � 17, effective June 21. L. 2024: (5)(a) amended, (HB 24-1067), ch. 51, p. 180, � 3, effective August 7.