Editor’s Note: Aspen Public Radio’s Primary Election Guide will be updated as new information becomes available until Primary Election Day, June 30, 2026.
This voter guide includes up-to-date information about registering to vote, where to drop off your ballot, and what’s on the ballots in Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield counties for the 2026 Primary Election.
Primary elections determine which candidates move on to the November general election ballot. Voters choose party nominees for federal, statewide, and local races. Not every race on the November General Election ballot is contested in the Primary Election.
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.
Find information about statewide, regional and local races below, broken out by party.
County Elections
Garfield County
Garfield County Commissioners
There are two candidates running for one seat on the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners, a Democrat and a Republican. The race will be decided in the General Election.
- Jonathan Godes (Democrat)
- Eric Rudd (Republican)
Garfield County Sheriff
There are two candidates running for Garfield County Sheriff, both Republicans. That means the primary election will determine who Garfield County’s next sheriff will be.
- Brent Baker (Republican)
- Dan Loya (Republican)
Baker grew up in Parachute and has worked at the Sheriff’s Office since 2002. He’s currently the Patrol Lieutenant there.
Loya grew up in Carbondale and is currently the Undersheriff for Eagle County.
Garfield County Clerk & Recorder
This is an uncontested race. The sole candidate is Jacklyn K. Harmon, a Republican.
Garfield County Assessor
This is an uncontested race. The sole candidate is Jim Yellico, a Republican.
Garfield County Treasurer
This is an uncontested race. The sole candidate is Carrie Couey, a Republican.
Garfield County Surveyor
There are no candidates registered for this race.
Garfield County Coroner
This is an uncontested race. The sole candidate is Robert Glassmire, a Republican.
Pitkin County
Pitkin County Commissioners
Three candidates are running for two General Election slots in the Pitkin County District 1 Commissioner race. They are:
- John Doyle
- Torre
- Rob Itner
The top two vote-getters will advance to the General Election ballot.
The Pitkin County District 2 race only has two candidates and will not appear on the primary ballot. Instead, the Pitkin County Commissioner District 2 race between Ted Mahon (incumbent) and Emily Kolbe will be decided in the General Election.
Pitkin County Sheriff
This is an uncontested race. The sole candidate is Michael Buglione, the Democratic incumbent.
Eagle County
Eagle County Sheriff
The Democratic primary for Eagle County Sheriff is contested. The top vote-getter will face Republican James Van Beek in the General Election.
Democratic Party:
- Jason Boston (Democrat)
- Rebecca Anderson (Democrat)
Republican Party:
- James Van Beek (Republican)
Eagle County Assessor
This is an uncontested primary race. There is one Democratic candidate, Andie Noakes, and one Republican candidate, Christopher Buono. They will face off in the General Election.
Eagle County Clerk & Recorder
There are no candidates for this race.
Eagle County Surveyor
There are no candidates for this race.
Eagle County Coroner
This is an uncontested primary race. There is one Democratic candidate, Claire Noble, and one Republican candidate, Cristian “Chris” Ryan. They will face off in the General Election.
Eagle County Treasurer
This is an uncontested race. There is one Democratic candidate for the seat, Teak Simonton.
Regional Elections
U.S. House District 3
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 served on the Aspen City Council, the Aspen school board, and 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 has served in the U.S. House representing Colorado's 3rd Congressional District since 2025.
Read more here:
State Board of Education District 3
Two candidates are running for State Board of Education District 3.
Barb Clementi is a Democratic Party candidate, and Sherri M. Wright is a Republican candidate.
This race will be decided in the General Election.
State Board of Education District 7
Two candidates are running for State Board of Education District 7.
Karla Esser is a Democratic Party candidate, and Steve Barton is a Republican candidate. The other Republican candidate, Nick Morris, dropped out of the race.
This race will be decided in the General Election.
State House District 57
State representative Elizabeth Velasco, a Democrat from Glenwood Springs, is running for reelection against challenger Russ Andrews, a Republican from Carbondale.
Incumbent Velasco has represented the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys for two terms in the state legislature.
Andrews is a financial adviser and conservative radio host, who is the secretary of the Colorado Republican Party.
Velasco and Andrews will face each other in the November General Election, since they’re the sole candidates from their respective parties running to represent State House District 57.
Statewide Races
Governor
Both the Democratic and Republican primaries for Colorado Governor are contested. One candidate from each party will continue on to the General Election in November.
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.
Unity Party:
Jeff Peckman is a self-described “solutionist” who rose to national prominence when he proposed that Denver develop an extra-terrestrial commission. Paul Noël Fiorino is a ballet artist and teacher, historian, and frequent candidate for Colorado offices.
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.
State Treasurer
There are two candidates running to be Colorado’s state treasurer, Democrat Jeff Bridges and Republican Kevin J. Grantham. Because they’re the sole candidates from their respective parties, they’ll face off in the General Election in November.
Colorado Regents District 2 (includes Eagle County)
Democratic Party:
Kubs Lalchandani is the co-founder and a partner at Lalchandani Simon PL, a boutique law firm serving clients in the technology, healthcare, and regulatory industries. Edie Hooton served six years as the State Representative for Boulder (HD-10), encompassing Boulder, Gunbarrel and the CU campus. Murray Smith is a CU Boulder alumnus who works as a Geospatial Data Scientist for a local satellite imagery company.
Republican Party:
- Marty Neilson (unopposed)
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.
How To Vote: Step-by-step
- Register to VoteEvery voter in Colorado receives a ballot by mail. Your ballot will arrive in the mail with the mailing address that you provided when you registered. If you are unsure if you are already registered, check here. If you want to receive your ballot by mail, you must update your registration at least eight days before an election.
- Research your candidatesUtilize this election guide and other reputable sources to understand your choices.
- Cast your ballotMail-in ballots must be received by the county clerk and recorder no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, June 30, 2026. You can submit a ballot in-person by dropping off your ballot at a local ballot box.
Our Mission
Aspen Public Radio’s mission is to support, nourish, and enrich our community by providing informative, entertaining, and educational radio and digital programming in a reliable and professional manner.
We’re using our mission statement to guide our election coverage this year, and into the future. We aim to focus on impact and context — showing how candidates and ballot measures will affect our community. And we want to make sure our stories are accessible and engaging, so voters can make informed decisions.
That’s why we created this election guide, with information on how to vote, details on local forums, and links to coverage from multiple sources, including our own stories. We’ll be updating it throughout the election season.
As we cover this year’s elections, we want to hear from you. Tell us about the issues that you think are most important in the upcoming elections and what kind of stories you’d like to hear by reaching out to news@aspenpublicradio.org.
You can also reach out to us any time, at news@aspenpublicradio.org. We’ll consider your ideas, and possibly use them as a basis for further reporting, as we continue to cover the civic process from Aspen to Parachute.