1. Get placed on the ballot at a major party assembly for the office through the caucus process.
This can be done two ways. Either you get 30% of the delegates' votes at the final political party assembly for your office, on either a first or second round assembly vote, or if not candidate gets 30% of the delegates' votes on either a first or second round assembly vote, the top two candidates in the assembly vote are placed on the ballot.
The candidate who receives the most votes at the assembly receives the top line on the primary ballot for that office in that political party.
But, if you attempt to get on the ballot via the caucus process, and get less than 10% of the delegates' votes at the assembly, you are barred from the primary ballot, even if you had enough signatures to petition onto the ballot.
The practical effect of the caucus process in major parties is that incumbents are rarely challenged in the caucus process, almost always get first line status on a primary ballot when a challenger makes it onto the primary ballot, and are almost never defeated in the primary election. Thus, attention turns to "open" seats.
Very few candidates who elect to use the petition process and forego the caucus process actually make it onto the primary ballot and then into the general election and win in the general election, although a few candidates each year mandate to do so.
How do you get to the final assembly?
Note that some assemblies are held with the county assembly delegates selected at the precinct level, while other offices some county assembly delegates are elected to go onto the next level (basically proportionately) held at the time of the state convention and assembly. The U.S. Senate race, which is the main race determined at the state convention/assembly in 2020.
Delegates from precinct caucuses to county assemblies (which provides the source for the delegates for all offices at all later steps in the process) must be chosen as delegates for one of the U.S. Senate candidates seeking a primary ballot spot through the caucus process to the county assembly. Only candidates that meet at 15% threshold in a precinct caucus get delegates from the precinct to the county assembly. I do not know if there is an additional 15% threshold to get from the county assembly to the state assembly (but I believe that this second threshold does apply).
If you petition onto the ballot, and either don't attempt to participate in the caucus process, or get at least 10% support at the final political party assembly for your office but not 30%, you will be placed on the ballot if you get a sufficient number of valid signatures from registered voters who are registered with that political party.
The required number of signatures is as follows:
This year's hot primary races.
This year, the most notable open primary race in the state across both parties, is the Democratic Party's race for U.S. Senate, which will probably come down to Andrew Romanoff and John Hickenlooper, with Romanoff having the top line of the primary ballot, based upon yesterday's early precinct caucus results. This is the race that everyone will be watching in the wake of the June 30, 2020 primary. Romanoff is the progressive candidate representing the Sanders wing of the party who is most likely to win the primary, although hardly a sure thing. Hickenlooper is the moderate candidate representing the Biden wing of the party. The winner will face off against Cory Gardner in November.
The leading primary candidates in this race are pretty much the top candidates in the Democratic party stable, drawn to the race, in part, because Cory Gardner is a weak GOP candidate, with negative favorability ratings of 14 percentage points (two percentage points worse than Donald Trump in Colorado), in a state that is increasingly a "blue state." It is almost impossible for Democrats to take control of the U.S. Senate or at least increase the size of their minority, without winning Colorado's U.S. Senate seat, which is seen of one of the most likely Democratic Party pickups in 2020.
In addition to the U.S. Senate race, this year, in the City and County of Denver, the main partisan elected offices which will be on the primary ballot in June are state representatives, state senators (only half are up for election every two years), U.S. Congress for District 1 (currently held by Diana DeGette who is running for re-election), State School Board for District 1 (currently held by Val Flores, whom I presume is running for re-election after having finished only one term), and District Attorney for Judicial District 1 (currently held by Beth McCann, whom I presume is running fr re-election).
Most, if not all, of the state house and state senate races have strong incumbents running.
Most, if not all, of the state house and state senate races have strong incumbents running.
The C.U.-Regents hold six year terms and neither of the C.U. Regents are large face the voters this year, and there is also not a C.U.-Regent District 1 election. Statewide elected officials (other than District Attorney which is held in Presidential election years) are elected in the even numbered elections between Presidential election years.
The City and County of Denver doesn't have any partisan races at the county level other than District Attorney, which is strictly speaking, a state government office. Most other counties elect most of their elected officials in the even numbered general election between Presidential races.
The City and County of Denver doesn't have any partisan races at the county level other than District Attorney, which is strictly speaking, a state government office. Most other counties elect most of their elected officials in the even numbered general election between Presidential races.
Primary season in 2020 on the Republican side is very boring indeed.
On the Republican side, the only primary race that is likely to be really interesting is the race for the 6th Congressional District nominee for the GOP who will challenge Democratic incumbent Jason Crow, which is held by a Democratic incumbent, but not a safe Democratic seat.
In the Presidential primaries on the Republican side, there was a 20% threshold to get a delegate to the national convention, and no Republican challenger to incumbent President Trump was close, so Trump got 100% of Colorado's delegates and will do so in every, or almost every, other state.
The U.S. Senate seat is currently held by a Republican who doesn't have any meaningful primary challenger. None of the incumbent Republican members of the U.S. House face a meaningful challenge this year.
A couple of the U.S. House seats held by Democrats which are "open" seats on the Republican side (i.e. Denver and Boulder) are so safe that no strong Republican candidates will try to challenge them, although some less viable optimists will carry the Republican flag in these race just in case something totally unexpected happens.
No statewide offices in state government are at issue. Most of the C.U. Regent, State Board of Education, state senate, and state house races this year either have a Republican incumbent who is running for re-election or are safe Democratic party seats.
The U.S. Senate seat is currently held by a Republican who doesn't have any meaningful primary challenger. None of the incumbent Republican members of the U.S. House face a meaningful challenge this year.
A couple of the U.S. House seats held by Democrats which are "open" seats on the Republican side (i.e. Denver and Boulder) are so safe that no strong Republican candidates will try to challenge them, although some less viable optimists will carry the Republican flag in these race just in case something totally unexpected happens.
No statewide offices in state government are at issue. Most of the C.U. Regent, State Board of Education, state senate, and state house races this year either have a Republican incumbent who is running for re-election or are safe Democratic party seats.
There may be a few contested state house or state senate primaries, but none of them have hit my radar yet. It currently seems unlikely that statewide, the Democratic party will lose control of the state house or the state senate in 2020, and it is expected that the state will favor the Democratic nominee over President Trump in the Presidential election in 2020.
On election day in November, the U.S. Senate race and the 6th Congressional District race in Colorado will be the races to watch in addition to the Presidential race.
A list of candidates who have filed paperwork with the Colorado Secretary of State is found here. But, it doesn't include all candidates trying to make the ballot via the caucus process, so it isn't very meaningful. Many who have filed won't make the primary ballot and many who have not filed will.
The official list of races up for election this year is below the fold.
A list of candidates who have filed paperwork with the Colorado Secretary of State is found here. But, it doesn't include all candidates trying to make the ballot via the caucus process, so it isn't very meaningful. Many who have filed won't make the primary ballot and many who have not filed will.
The official list of races up for election this year is below the fold.
President
State
Donald Trump
REP
4 Years
Vice President
State
Mike Pence
REP
4 Years
US Senate
State
Cory Gardner
REP
6 Years
US House
1
Diana DeGette
DEM
2 Years
US House
2
Joe Neguse
DEM
2 Years
US House
3
Scott R. Tipton
REP
2 Years
US House
4
Ken Buck
REP
2 Years
US House
5
Doug Lamborn
REP
2 Years
US House
6
Jason Crow
DEM
2 Years
US House
7
Ed Perlmutter
DEM
2 Years
State Board of Education
1
Valentina Flores
DEM
6 Years
State Board of Education
3
Joyce Rankin
REP
6 Years
State Board of Education
7
Jane Goff
DEM
6 Years
Regent of the University of Colorado
2
Linda Shoemaker
DEM
6 Years
Regent of the University of Colorado
6
John Carson
REP
6 Years
Regent of the University of Colorado
7
Irene C. Griego
DEM
6 Years
State Senate
4
Jim Smallwood
REP
4 Years
State Senate
8
Bob Rankin
REP
4 Years
State Senate
10
Owen Hill
REP
4 Years
State Senate
12
Bob Gardner
REP
4 Years
State Senate
14
Joann Ginal
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
17
Mike Foote
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
18
Stephen Fenberg
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
19
Rachel Zenzinger
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
21
Dominick Moreno
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
23
Vicki Marble
REP
4 Years
State Senate
25
Kevin Priola
REP
4 Years
State Senate
26
Jeff Bridges
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
27
Jack Tate
REP
4 Years
State Senate
28
Nancy Todd
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
29
Rhonda Fields
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
31
Chris Hansen
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
33
Angela Williams
DEM
4 Years
State Senate
35
Larry W. Crowder
REP
4 Years
State House
1
Susan Lontine
DEM
2 Years
State House
2
Alec Garnett
DEM
2 Years
State House
3
Meg Froelich
DEM
2 Years
State House
4
Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez
DEM
2 Years
State House
5
Alex Valdez
DEM
2 Years
State House
6
Steven L. Woodrow
DEM
2 Years
State House
7
James Rashad Coleman
DEM
2 Years
State House
8
Leslie Herod
DEM
2 Years
State House
9
Emily Sirota
DEM
2 Years
State House
10
Edie Hooton
DEM
2 Years
State House
11
Jonathan Singer
DEM
2 Years
State House
12
Sonya Jaquez Lewis
DEM
2 Years
State House
13
KC Becker
DEM
2 Years
State House
14
Shane Sandridge
REP
2 Years
State House
15
Dave Williams
REP
2 Years
State House
16
Larry G. Liston
REP
2 Years
State House
17
Thomas (Tony) Exum Sr.
DEM
2 Years
State House
18
Marc A. Snyder
DEM
2 Years
State House
19
Tim Geitner
REP
2 Years
State House
20
Terri Carver
REP
2 Years
State House
21
Lois Landgraf
REP
2 Years
State House
22
Colin Larson
REP
2 Years
State House
23
Chris Kennedy
DEM
2 Years
State House
24
Monica Duran
DEM
2 Years
State House
25
Lisa A. Cutter
DEM
2 Years
State House
26
Dylan Roberts
DEM
2 Years
State House
27
Brianna Titone
DEM
2 Years
State House
28
Kerry Tipper
DEM
2 Years
State House
29
Tracy Kraft-Tharp
DEM
2 Years
State House
30
Dafna Michaelson Jenet
DEM
2 Years
State House
31
Yadira Caraveo
DEM
2 Years
State House
32
Adrienne Benavidez
DEM
2 Years
State House
33
Matt Gray
DEM
2 Years
State House
34
Kyle Mullica
DEM
2 Years
State House
35
Shannon Bird
DEM
2 Years
State House
36
Mike Weissman
DEM
2 Years
State House
37
Tom Sullivan
DEM
2 Years
State House
38
Richard Champion
REP
2 Years
State House
39
Mark Baisley
REP
2 Years
State House
40
Janet P. Buckner
DEM
2 Years
State House
41
Jovan Melton
DEM
2 Years
State House
42
Dominique Jackson
DEM
2 Years
State House
43
Kevin Van Winkle
REP
2 Years
State House
44
Kim Ransom
REP
2 Years
State House
45
Patrick Neville
REP
2 Years
State House
46
Daneya Esgar
DEM
2 Years
State House
47
Bri Buentello
DEM
2 Years
State House
48
Stephen Humphrey
REP
2 Years
State House
49
Perry L. Buck
REP
2 Years
State House
50
Mary Young
DEM
2 Years
State House
51
Hugh McKean
REP
2 Years
State House
52
Catherine Kipp
DEM
2 Years
State House
53
Jeni Arndt
DEM
2 Years
State House
54
Matt Soper
REP
2 Years
State House
55
Janice Rich
REP
2 Years
State House
56
Rod Bockenfeld
REP
2 Years
State House
57
Perry Will
REP
2 Years
State House
58
Marc Catlin
REP
2 Years
State House
59
Barbara McLachlan
DEM
2 Years
State House
60
James Wilson
REP
2 Years
State House
61
Julie McCluskie
DEM
2 Years
State House
62
Donald E. Valdez
DEM
2 Years
State House
63
Lori Saine
REP
2 Years
State House
64
Richard M. Alonso Holtorf
REP
2 Years
State House
65
Rod Pelton
REP
2 Years
District Attorney
1
Pete Weir
REP
4 years
District Attorney
2
Beth McCann
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
3
Henry Solano
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
4
Dan May
REP
4 years
District Attorney
5
Bruce Brown
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
6
Christian Champagne
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
7
Dan Hotsenpiller
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
8
Clifford Riedel
REP
4 years
District Attorney
9
Jefferson J. Cheney
REP
4 years
District Attorney
10
Jeff Chostner
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
11
Kaitlin Turner
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
12
Crista Newmyer-Olsen
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
13
Brittny B. Lewton
REP
4 years
District Attorney
14
Brett Barkey
REP
4 years
District Attorney
15
Joshua Vogel
REP
4 years
District Attorney
16
James R. Bullock
REP
4 years
District Attorney
17
Dave Young
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
18
George Brauchler
REP
4 years
District Attorney
19
Michael Rourke
REP
4 years
District Attorney
20
Michael Dougherty
DEM
4 years
District Attorney
21
Daniel Rubinstein
REP
4 years
District Attorney
22
Will Furse
REP
4 years
Regional Transportation District
A
Kate Williams
N/A
4 Years
Regional Transportation District
D
Jeffrey Allen Walker
N/A
4 Years
Regional Transportation District
E
Claudia Folska
N/A
4 Years
Regional Transportation District
F
Bob Broom
N/A
4 Years
Regional Transportation District
G
Ken Mihalik
N/A
4 Years
Regional Transportation District
H
Doug Tisdale
N/A
4 Years
Regional Transportation District
I
Judy Lubow
N/A
4 Years
Regional Transportation District
M
Natalie Menten
N/A
4 Years
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