Ever thought about running for elected office? This year, San Juan County voters will choose leaders who shape everything from land use and taxes to public safety and law enforcement. The window to run is already opening, and for those who have ever thought, “Maybe I should run,” now is the time to understand how the process works.
Colorado election law offers multiple paths to the ballot depending on a candidate’s party affiliation. Missing a deadline or choosing the wrong path can end a campaign before it starts. This guide explains how unaffiliated and major party candidates qualify for the San Juan County General Election on November 3, 2026. If you are registered with a minor party, please reach out to the Clerk & Recorder’s office for instructions.
Unaffiliated Candidates: General Election by Petition
Candidates who are registered as unaffiliated (UAF) do not participate in party caucuses, assemblies, or the primary election. Instead, they qualify directly for the General Election ballot by petition. To run as an unaffiliated candidate, a person must be registered as unaffiliated no later than the first business day of January. Prospective candidates who have changed their party affiliation after January 2nd will not be allowed to run as a candidate for that party.
Voter registration status can be checked or updated at GoVoteColorado.gov.
Unaffiliated candidates must submit a petition for nomination to the San Juan County Clerk & Recorder. The first day to circulate petitions is May 14, 2026, and they must be filed with the San Juan County Clerk by 4:00pm on July 9, 2026.
Before collecting signatures, the petition format must be approved by the Clerk’s Office. Petitions must include specific statutory language, and each section must contain a notarized circulator affidavit. Signatures must come from eligible electors of San Juan County, and voters may sign only one petition per office.
State law requires unaffiliated candidates to collect signatures equal to 2% of the total votes cast for that office in the last General Election. Because San Juan County has a small electorate, this usually results in approximately 10–15 signatures, depending on the office.
When petitions are filed, candidates must also submit a Candidate Acceptance of Petition Nomination, signed in front of a notary (San Juan County provides no-cost notarial services for county residents) and filed at the same time as the petition.
Major Party Candidates: Primary Election Paths
Candidates affiliated with the Democratic or Republican Party generally access the ballot through the primary election, using either the caucus/assembly process or a petition alternative. To run as a Democrat or Republican in 2026, a candidate must be affiliated with their party no later than January 2, 2026 (the first business day of January). This deadline applies to all major party candidates, regardless of which path they choose.
Most major party candidates follow the caucus and assembly process:
- Party members attend party caucuses & assembly
- Candidates receiving at least 30% support at the assembly are placed on the June 30, 2026 Primary Election ballot.
- Democratic Party Caucus Location: San Juan County Courthouse
- Democratic Party Caucus Date/Time: Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
- Republican Party Caucus Location: San Juan County Courthouse (tentative)
- Republican Party Caucus Date/Time: Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. (tentative)
Caucuses and assemblies are run by the political parties, not the county, although the Clerk’s Office coordinates with the parties to ensure compliance with election law.
Another, though uncommon, process for major party candidates is to bypass the caucus and assembly by qualifying for the primary ballot through petition.
- Petition signers must be affiliated with the candidate’s party.
- Signers must have been affiliated for at least 22 days before signing.
- Petition formats must be approved before circulation.
- Deadlines are earlier than for unaffiliated candidates and are strictly enforced.
The number of required signatures varies by office and party and is calculated from prior party turnout, which is why the numbers can be very small in San Juan County.
Special Requirements for Certain Offices
Candidates for County Sheriff and County Coroner, whether unaffiliated or major party, must complete a CBI fingerprint-based background check.
Fingerprinting must be completed before filing candidate acceptance paperwork, and a receipt must be submitted with the filing. Results are sent directly to the Clerk & Recorder, who may only indicate whether the candidate is qualified or unqualified.
County Commissioner candidates must reside in the district they seek to represent. In counties with fewer than 70,000 registered voters, including San Juan County, commissioners are elected at-large even though district residency requirements still apply.
Campaign Finance: A Separate State Process
All candidates must comply with Colorado campaign finance law, which is administered by the Colorado Secretary of State, not the county.
Candidates must file a Candidate Affidavit (CF-1) in the state’s TRACER system within 10 days of becoming a candidate, even if no money is raised or spent. Failure to file required forms can result in daily fines, regardless of whether ballot access requirements are otherwise met.
Help Is Available
The San Juan County Clerk & Recorder’s Office provides approved petition formats and required local forms and is available to help prospective candidates confirm eligibility, deadlines, filing requirements and other information. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact the San Juan County Clerk’s Office in our office at 1557 Greene Street, by phone at 970-387-8040, or by emailing elections@sanjuancolorado.us