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08 March 2020

Getting On The Ballot As A Candidate In Colorado

To get on the June 30, 2020 primary ballot in Colorado as a major party candidate, which is the only way to get on the ballot as a major party candidate in the general election, which is, as a practical matter, the only way to get elected to a partisan political office, you must fill out paperwork with the Colorado Secretary of State and must also do one of two things:

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).

2.  Petition onto the ballot.

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.

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.

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.

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.

OfficePresident
DistrictState
IncumbentDonald Trump
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeVice President
DistrictState
IncumbentMike Pence
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeUS Senate
DistrictState
IncumbentCory Gardner
PartyREP
Term length6 Years
OfficeUS House
District1
IncumbentDiana DeGette
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeUS House
District2
IncumbentJoe Neguse
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeUS House
District3
IncumbentScott R. Tipton
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeUS House
District4
IncumbentKen Buck
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeUS House
District5
IncumbentDoug Lamborn
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeUS House
District6
IncumbentJason Crow
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeUS House
District7
IncumbentEd Perlmutter
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState Board of Education
District1
IncumbentValentina Flores
PartyDEM
Term length6 Years
OfficeState Board of Education
District3
IncumbentJoyce Rankin
PartyREP
Term length6 Years
OfficeState Board of Education
District7
IncumbentJane Goff
PartyDEM
Term length6 Years
OfficeRegent of the University of Colorado
District2
IncumbentLinda Shoemaker
PartyDEM
Term length6 Years
OfficeRegent of the University of Colorado
District6
IncumbentJohn Carson
PartyREP
Term length6 Years
OfficeRegent of the University of Colorado
District7
IncumbentIrene C. Griego
PartyDEM
Term length6 Years
OfficeState Senate
District4
IncumbentJim Smallwood
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District8
IncumbentBob Rankin
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District10
IncumbentOwen Hill
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District12
IncumbentBob Gardner
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District14
IncumbentJoann Ginal
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District17
IncumbentMike Foote
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District18
IncumbentStephen Fenberg
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District19
IncumbentRachel Zenzinger
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District21
IncumbentDominick Moreno
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District23
IncumbentVicki Marble
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District25
IncumbentKevin Priola
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District26
IncumbentJeff Bridges
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District27
IncumbentJack Tate
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District28
IncumbentNancy Todd
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District29
IncumbentRhonda Fields
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District31
IncumbentChris Hansen
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District33
IncumbentAngela Williams
PartyDEM
Term length4 Years
OfficeState Senate
District35
IncumbentLarry W. Crowder
PartyREP
Term length4 Years
OfficeState House
District1
IncumbentSusan Lontine
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District2
IncumbentAlec Garnett
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District3
IncumbentMeg Froelich
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District4
IncumbentSerena Gonzales-Gutierrez
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District5
IncumbentAlex Valdez
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District6
Incumbent Steven L. Woodrow
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District7
IncumbentJames Rashad Coleman
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District8
IncumbentLeslie Herod
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District9
IncumbentEmily Sirota
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District10
IncumbentEdie Hooton
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District11
IncumbentJonathan Singer
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District12
IncumbentSonya Jaquez Lewis
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District13
IncumbentKC Becker
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District14
IncumbentShane Sandridge
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District15
IncumbentDave Williams
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District16
IncumbentLarry G. Liston
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District17
IncumbentThomas (Tony) Exum Sr.
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District18
IncumbentMarc A. Snyder
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District19
IncumbentTim Geitner
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District20
IncumbentTerri Carver
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District21
IncumbentLois Landgraf
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District22
IncumbentColin Larson
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District23
IncumbentChris Kennedy
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District24
IncumbentMonica Duran
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District25
IncumbentLisa A. Cutter
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District26
IncumbentDylan Roberts
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District27
IncumbentBrianna Titone
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District28
IncumbentKerry Tipper
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District29
IncumbentTracy Kraft-Tharp
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District30
IncumbentDafna Michaelson Jenet
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District31
IncumbentYadira Caraveo
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District32
IncumbentAdrienne Benavidez
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District33
IncumbentMatt Gray
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District34
IncumbentKyle Mullica
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District35
IncumbentShannon Bird
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District36
IncumbentMike Weissman
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District37
IncumbentTom Sullivan
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District38
Incumbent Richard Champion
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District39
IncumbentMark Baisley
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District40
IncumbentJanet P. Buckner
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District41
IncumbentJovan Melton
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District42
IncumbentDominique Jackson
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District43
IncumbentKevin Van Winkle
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District44
IncumbentKim Ransom
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District45
IncumbentPatrick Neville
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District46
IncumbentDaneya Esgar
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District47
IncumbentBri Buentello
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District48
IncumbentStephen Humphrey
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District49
IncumbentPerry L. Buck
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District50
IncumbentMary Young
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District51
IncumbentHugh McKean
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District52
IncumbentCatherine Kipp
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District53
IncumbentJeni Arndt
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District54
IncumbentMatt Soper
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District55
IncumbentJanice Rich
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District56
IncumbentRod Bockenfeld
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District57
IncumbentPerry Will
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District58
IncumbentMarc Catlin
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District59
IncumbentBarbara McLachlan
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District60
IncumbentJames Wilson
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District61
IncumbentJulie McCluskie
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District62
IncumbentDonald E. Valdez
PartyDEM
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District63
IncumbentLori Saine
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District64
IncumbentRichard M. Alonso Holtorf
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeState House
District65
IncumbentRod Pelton
PartyREP
Term length2 Years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District1
IncumbentPete Weir
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District2
IncumbentBeth McCann
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District3
IncumbentHenry Solano
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District4
IncumbentDan May
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District5
IncumbentBruce Brown
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District6
IncumbentChristian Champagne
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District7
IncumbentDan Hotsenpiller
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District8
IncumbentClifford Riedel
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District9
IncumbentJefferson J. Cheney
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District10
IncumbentJeff Chostner
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District11
IncumbentKaitlin Turner
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District12
IncumbentCrista Newmyer-Olsen
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District13
IncumbentBrittny B. Lewton
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District14
IncumbentBrett Barkey
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District15
IncumbentJoshua Vogel
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District16
IncumbentJames R. Bullock
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District17
IncumbentDave Young
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District18
IncumbentGeorge Brauchler
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District19
IncumbentMichael Rourke
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District20
IncumbentMichael Dougherty
PartyDEM
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District21
IncumbentDaniel Rubinstein
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeDistrict Attorney
District22
IncumbentWill Furse
PartyREP
Term length4 years
OfficeRegional Transportation District
DistrictA
IncumbentKate Williams
PartyN/A
Term length4 Years
OfficeRegional Transportation District
DistrictD
IncumbentJeffrey Allen Walker
PartyN/A
Term length4 Years
OfficeRegional Transportation District
DistrictE
IncumbentClaudia Folska
PartyN/A
Term length4 Years
OfficeRegional Transportation District
DistrictF
IncumbentBob Broom
PartyN/A
Term length4 Years
OfficeRegional Transportation District
DistrictG
IncumbentKen Mihalik
PartyN/A
Term length4 Years
OfficeRegional Transportation District
DistrictH
IncumbentDoug Tisdale
PartyN/A
Term length4 Years
OfficeRegional Transportation District
DistrictI
IncumbentJudy Lubow
PartyN/A
Term length4 Years

OfficeRegional Transportation District
DistrictM
IncumbentNatalie Menten
PartyN/A
Term length4 Years

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