Those looking to run as unaffiliated candidates still have time to access the November ballot, with today being the first day for those wishing to run to circulate petitions for the General Election.
Completed petitions must be submitted to the Archuleta County clerk by July 12.
Alternatively, candidates who have not had the chance to be voted onto the ballot through other means, regardless of party affiliation, may file an Affidavit of Intent for the General Election by July 19 to run as a write-in candidate.
Nomination by petition for unaffiliated candidate
Jan. 2 was the last day to register as unaffiliated to be placed in nomination by petition as an unaffiliated candidate.
The first day to circulate petitions for unaffiliated candidates is today, May 17, with the last day to submit petitions being July 12.
The petition form must be approved by the county clerk prior to circulation.
Too, the Secretary of State’s Office website notes, “Only eligible electors within the district or political subdivision may sign the petition. An elector may not sign more than one candidate’s petition for the same office.”
Signatures required are the lesser amount between 750 or 2 percent of the votes cast for all candidates for that office in the most recent general election for any county office.
Required numbers of signers are listed below.
Signatures required
Following are the signatures required for petitions for unaffiliated candidates for each office.
• Commissioner, District 3: 107.
• County clerk and recorder: 85.
• Treasurer: 81.
• Assessor: 83.
• Sheriff: 82.
• Surveyor: 70.
• Coroner: 87.
Qualifications for office
Following are the statutes that provide the qualifications for each office up for election in 2018:
• Commissioner candidate: Must be a registered elector and have resided in his or her district at least one year prior to the election, C.R.S. 1-4-205(1)(b).
• County clerk and recorder: C.R.S. 30-10-401.
• Treasurer: C.R.S. 30-10-703.
• Assessor: C.R.S. 30-10-801.
• Sheriff candidate: C.R.S. 30-10-501.5 and C.R.S. 30-10-501.6.
• Surveyor: C.R.S. 30-10-901.
• Coroner: C.R.S. 30-10-601.
In addition, Article XIV, Section 10 of the Colorado Constitution says that “no person shall be eligible to any county office unless he shall be a qualified elector; and unless he shall have resided in the county one year preceding his election.”
Anytime a statute or constitution refers to an election and it is not preceded with primary or general, the election is the general.
“When running for an office, you will need to read the laws well,” an Archuleta County document notes. “There are statutes regulating the process to be placed on the ballot, statutes for each county office, the State Constitution and both parties have rules as well.”
