Colorado’s primary elections will determine which candidates move on to the November general election ballot. Voters are choosing party nominees for federal, statewide, and local races.
Key Dates:
- June 8: Ballots mailed to voters.
- June 8: Last day for voters affiliated with a political party to change or withdraw their affiliation if they wish to vote in a different party's primary election.
- June 22: Recommended last day for voters to return ballots by mail.
- June 30: Primary Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
How Colorado Primaries Work
Colorado has open primaries:
- Registered Democrats vote in the Democratic primary.
- Registered Republicans vote in the Republican primary.
- Unaffiliated voters will be sent ballots for both the Democratic and Republican primaries, but they may only vote on one ballot. Colorado also allows same-day voter registration through Election Day.
Statewide Races:
Governor
Democratic Party:
Michael Bennet has served in the U.S. Senate since 2009.
Phil Weiser has served as Colorado’s Attorney General for the past 8 years.
Republican Party:
Scott Bottoms is a pastor and serves as the Colorado State Representative for House District 15.
Barbara Kirkmeyer is a former Weld County commissioner and serves as the Colorado State Representative for House District 23.
Victor Marx is a Marine Corps veteran and runs All Things Possible Ministries, a nonprofit in Colorado Springs.
U.S. Senate
Democratic Party:
- John Hickenlooper (Incumbent)
John Hickenlooper has served as the mayor of Denver, the governor of Colorado, and is running for a second term as U.S. senator.
Julie Gonzales has served in the State Senate, representing the 34th district in the City and County of Denver, since 2019.
Republican Party:
- Mark Baisley (unopposed)
Mark Baisley has represented Colorado’s 4th Senate District, which includes Douglas County and Castle Rock, since 2023. Before joining the State Senate, he served House District 39, representing Teller County and parts of Douglas County, beginning in 2019.
Attorney General
Democratic Party:
Hetal Doshi is a former Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division.
Michael Dougherty has served as the Boulder County District Attorney since 2018.
Jenna Griswold has served as Secretary of State in Colorado since 2019.
David Seligman has served as the Executive Director of the nonprofit law firm Towards Justice since 2018.
Republican Party:
Michael Allen is an American lawyer who serves as the current District Attorney for the 4th Judicial District.
David Willson is a retired U.S. Army attorney and cybersecurity consultant.
Secretary of State
Democratic Party:
Jessie Danielson from Jefferson County has just finished a second term in the state Senate this year after serving two terms in the Colorado House.
Amanda Gonzalez has served as the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder since 2023. She served as Executive Director of Colorado Common Cause from 2018 to 2021.
Libertarian Party:
Alex Astley is a Libertarian and an engineer from the Eastern Plains.
Sean Vadney from Highlands Ranch is an entertainment industry professional who would like to reform business registration.
Voting Resources
Colorado Secretary of State Elections Division
Voter Registration / Ballot Tracking
- Register or update registration
- Find drop boxes and polling places
- Track your ballot through BallotTrax
Here are more Colorado voter services.
Congressional District 3 2026 Election Candidates
Democratic Party:
Alex Kelloff lives in Pitkin County and is a businessman and the co-founder of Armada Skis.
Dwayne L. Romero is a United States Army Engineer Officer and the President and CEO of a real estate management company. Romero has spent time on the Aspen City Council, the Aspen school board, and on the Colorado Economic Development Commission.
Republican Party:
Ron Hanks is an Air Force Veteran and was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives, where he represented District 60.
- Jeff Hurd (Incumbent)
Jeff Hurd has served in the U.S. House representing Colorado's 3rd Congressional District since 2025.
Montezuma County Commissioners
Democratic Party:
Rebecca Busic is a local community organizer. Find our candidate interview with her here.
Republican Party:
Diane Fox-Spratlen is a former law enforcement officer and Montezuma-Cortez school board member. Find our candidate interview with her here.
Bonnie Anderson is a former Montezuma County employee. Find our candidate interview with her here.
Rodney Cox is a small business owner in Montezuma County. Find our candidate interview with him here.
Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder
- Jerri Frizzell
Jerri Frizzell is a current employee in the Clerk and Recorder's office as well as an area restaurant owner. Find our candidate interview with her here.
- Lenetta Shull
Lenetta Shull is the former chair of the Montezuma County Republican Party, and has held various leadership positions in the community. Find our candidate interview with her here.
Montezuma County Unopposed Races
Republican County Sheriff - Tyson Cox
Republican County Coroner - George Deavers
Republican Treasurer - Ellen Black
Unaffiliated candidates may still enter local races for the November ballot, with petitions circulating from May 14 through July 9; so far, Dennis Bugg is listed as an unaffiliated candidate for county commissioner and Leslie Kennedy Bugg is listed as an unaffiliated candidate for assessor.