Have you announced your candidacy and filed the required campaign finance forms?

Yes, continue to Step 1.

No, I need to become a candidate.

Steps

1. Eligibility for nomination
2. Receive Colorado state party approval
3. Petition signature requirements
4. Petition format approval
5. Start circulating petition
6. Submit petition with candidate and electors' acceptance forms
7. Signature verification and notice of sufficiency or insufficiency
8. Submit audio recording
9. Names placed on presidential primary ballot
10. Additional filing requirements

Step 1: Eligibility for nomination

Candidates must meet the basic qualifications for office and be seeking the presidential nomination of either the Democratic or Republican Party. A candidate must meet the qualifications for office outlined in Article II, Section 1(5) of the U.S. Constitution.

In order to be eligible to circulate a petition, a person must be a citizen of the United States and at least 18 years of age. [1]

Step 2: Receive Colorado state party approval

Complete the State Party Approval form (PDF) and submit it to the appropriate state party. Our office will not approve a petition format until the state party has approved the candidate as a bona fide candidate.

Step 3: Petition signature requirements

A petition must contain at least 5,000 signatures from registered Colorado voters who are affiliated with the same party as the candidate for at least 22 days at the time of signing and have not signed a petition for any other candidate for the same office. [2]

Step 4: Petition format approval

When the State Party Approval form is returned to you with signed approval from the party, contact the Secretary of State’s Office at 303-894-2200 x6333 or e-mail us at ballot.access@coloradosos.gov to learn about the petition format approval process. Petition formats must be created and approved by the Secretary of State prior to circulation. Petition formats will not be approved until October 2023. [3]

Step 5: Start circulating petition

Once your petition format is approved, begin circulating the petition on the first Monday in November (November 6, 2023) preceding the election year.

Step 6: Submit petition with candidate and electors' acceptance forms

The completed petition must be filed no later than 85 days (December 11, 2023) before the presidential primary election. [4]

1. Complete the Presidential Petition Nomination Acceptance form (PDF).
   
   The candidate acceptance form must state the candidate’s name as it will appear on the ballot. [5]
2. Hand deliver to:
   
   Colorado Secretary of State - Elections Division
   1700 Broadway, Suite 550
   Denver CO, 80290

Please contact the Secretary of State’s office at 303-894-2200 x6333 or ballot.access@coloradosos.gov for more information on procedures for submitting petitions

Step 7: Signature verification and notice of sufficiency or insufficiency

Petition signatures will be verified by the Secretary of State’s office and a declaration of sufficiency or insufficiency will be made no later than 60 days before the presidential primary election (January 5, 2024). [6]

We will notify you of your petition’s sufficiency or insufficiency in writing. For a faster response, please provide an email address where we can send the statement of sufficiency/insufficiency.

If found to be sufficient, the petition will be deemed valid, unless a protest is made in writing within five days after the statement of sufficiency is issued. [7]

Step 8: Submit audio recording

Candidate audio recording must be submitted to the Secretary of State no later than 85 days before the presidential primary election.

The audio recording must state the candidate’s name exactly as it appears on the candidate acceptance form, as this is how the candidate’s name will appear on the ballot. [8]

Audio Recording Instructions

Step 9: Name placed on on presidential primary ballot

Step 10: Additional filing requirements

All candidates for president should contact the Federal Election Commission for campaign finance information and other requirements not addressed at the state level.

Federal Election Commission
1050 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20463
1-800-424-9530
Website: www.fec.gov

[1] 1-4-905(1), C.R.S.
[2] 1-4-1204(1)(c), C.R.S.
[3] 1-4-903, C.R.S.
[4] 1-4-802(1)(f)(I), C.R.S.
[5] 1-4-801(6), C.R.S.
[6] 1-4-908, C.R.S.
[7] 1-4-909(1), C.R.S.
[8] 1-4-912, C.R.S.