What to know about the 2026 caucuses in Colorado
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The 2026 election season starts for real on Tuesday.
State of play: It's the first day Democrats and Republicans can gather for caucuses and local assemblies.
- What's a caucus? Let's explain.
Why it matters: It's the start of the process for statewide and local candidates to get their names on the June primary ballot.
How it works: Registered Democrats and Republicans will gather this week at schools, churches and Zoom meetings for neighborhood precinct meetings.
- The meeting times and dates vary, but they must take place by Saturday. In some cases, counties are also hosting their assemblies on the same day as the caucus.
Each precinct selects delegates to send to the county assemblies. These delegates represent votes for certain candidates.
- A candidate needs support from 30% of the delegates at a county or state assembly to qualify for the ballot. This is the preferred option for candidates with limited campaign fundraising or those favored by party activists.
Yes, but: A candidate can also qualify by submitting petitions with voter signatures. Those running for statewide office must submit 1,500 valid signatures from registered members of their party in the state's eight congressional districts, for a total of 12,000.
The intrigue: U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, both Democrats, chose to submit petitions in their respective races, U.S. Senate and governor, rather than compete in the caucuses.
What's next: If you are a registered voter, you can participate in your respective party caucuses. Go to the website of your county's political party to find information about the time and date for your caucus.
The bottom line: To help your favorite candidate make the ballot, volunteer at your caucus to be a delegate to the county and state assembly.