Colorado Petition Signature Requirements (2026)
How many signatures you need to qualify for the ballot in Colorado, the 2026 petition filing windows, and how to validate your signatures against the Colorado voter file.
Signature requirements by office
| Office | Minimum signatures | % of enrolled voters |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney General, Secretary Of State, State Treasurer | — | 5% |
| Governor, Lieutenant Governor | — | 5% |
| State Senator, State Representative | — | 5% |
| U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative | — | 5% |
2026 petition deadlines
Attorney General, Secretary Of State, State Treasurer
- Primary petition opens:
- January 2, 2026
- Primary petition deadline:
- March 17, 2026
- General petition opens:
- July 1, 2026
- General petition deadline:
- August 4, 2026
- Primary election:
- June 30, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
Governor, Lieutenant Governor; State Senator, State Representative; U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative
- Primary petition opens:
- January 2, 2026
- Primary petition deadline:
- March 18, 2026
- General petition opens:
- May 14, 2026
- General petition deadline:
- July 9, 2026
- Primary election:
- June 30, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
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Start validating freeColorado petition rules & details
Primary petition — signature rules
Major-party statewide candidates can petition with 1,500 signatures per congressional district (8 CDs × 1,500 = 12,000 statewide) OR receive 30% of delegates at party state assembly.
Primary petition — deadline rules
Petitions due 71 days before primary (~Mar 17, 2026). Major-party candidates can also assembly-designate via party convention.
General petition — signature rules
Unaffiliated candidates need 5,000 signatures statewide.
General petition — deadline rules
Unaffiliated candidates file by 117 days before general (~Aug 4, 2026).
Primary petition — signature rules
Governor: 1,500 signatures per congressional district
Primary petition — deadline rules
Filing deadline is March 18, 2026. Assemblies held no later than 73 days before primary
General petition — signature rules
Unaffiliated candidates: 1,000 signatures per congressional district
General petition — deadline rules
Unaffiliated candidates: petition circulation begins 173 days before general election, must file by 5 PM on 117th day before general election
Primary petition — signature rules
State Senate: 1,000 or 30% of votes cast in previous primary (whichever is less); State Rep: 1,000 or 30% of votes cast in previous primary (whichever is less)
General petition — signature rules
Unaffiliated - State Senate: 1,000 or 3.33% of votes cast in most recent general (whichever is less); State Rep: 1,000 or 5% of votes cast in most recent general (whichever is less)
Primary petition — signature rules
US House: 1,500 or 10% of votes cast in previous primary (whichever is less); US Senate: 1,500 signatures per congressional district
General petition — signature rules
Unaffiliated candidates - US House: 1,500 or 2.5% of votes cast in most recent general (whichever is less); US Senate: 1,000 per congressional district
Frequently asked questions
How many signatures do I need to get on the ballot in Colorado?
Colorado signature requirements vary by office. Attorney General, Secretary Of State, State Treasurer: 5% of enrolled voters; Governor, Lieutenant Governor: 5% of enrolled voters; State Senator, State Representative: 5% of enrolled voters. See the full table above for all offices.
What is the 2026 petition filing deadline in Colorado?
For the 2026 cycle in Colorado, the primary petition deadline is March 17, 2026, and the general petition deadline is August 4, 2026. Confirm exact dates for your office above and with your election authority.
Can I validate Colorado petition signatures myself?
Yes. Petition Validator lets you upload petition pages and automatically matches each signer against the Colorado voter file — checking registration, address, and duplicates in seconds per signature. You can start free, no paid Victory Waves account required.
How does signature validation work?
You upload images of your petition pages; our system transcribes each signature and matches the signer's name, address, and date against official voter registration data to confirm they're a registered voter in the correct jurisdiction.
Last updated for the 2026 cycle on May 26, 2026. Always confirm requirements and deadlines with your state or local election authority.