Judge orders Secretary Williams to delay ballot certification because of Senate candidates

DENVER, April 29, 2016 -- A District Court judge has ordered the Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams to move the deadline for certifying the U.S. Senate candidates to the primary ballot from today to Wednesday.

Two Senate candidates, Colorado Springs businessman Robert Blaha and former Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, sought the delay after they were notified Thursday they hadn't collected enough signatures from Republican voters to make the June 28 ballot.

Their campaigns were holed up in a Secretary of State's office conference room today, poring over their ballot petitions as they prepare to file protests, likely on Monday.

A third Senate candidate who was ruled insufficient, former state Rep. Jon Keyser, has already had his protest heard. A Denver judge today ruled that certain signatures the Secretary of State tossed should be included, which meant Keyser is on the ballot.

Former Colorado State University athletic director Jack Graham has already made the ballot. He was the only one of the four Republican Senate candidates who filed petitions who was ruled sufficient by the Secretary of State's office.

Also on the GOP ballot for Senate is El Paso County Commissioner Darryl Glenn, who received 70 percent of the delegate vote at the Republican state assembly April 9, enough to knock out the other candidates seeking that office through the assembly route. The incumbent, Sen. Michael Bennet, was nominated at the Democratic assembly April 16 and is unopposed in his primary.

The Secretary of State's office will certify today to the county clerks the candidates for other races, such as state House, state Senate and district attorney. Clerks will be instructed to leave a blank space for the Senate candidates and will be notified as soon as possible when the Secretary of State's office has a complete list of GOP hopefuls.

Order staying ballot certification deadline (PDF)

Keyser order (PDF)