Colorado Secretary of State election, 2026

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Colorado Secretary of State
	Democratic primary; Republican primary; General election;
Election details
	Filing deadline: March 18, 2026
	Primary: June 30, 2026; General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
	Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Voting in Colorado
Ballotpedia analysis
	Federal and state primary competitiveness; State executive elections in 2026; Impact of term limits in 2026; State government trifectas; State government triplexes; Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
Colorado; executive elections
	Governor; Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General; Secretary of State; Treasurer; State Board of Education (3 seats); State Board of Regents (3 seats);

Colorado 2026 elections

U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Appellate courts • State ballot measures • Municipal • Recalls • How to run for office

Colorado is holding an election for secretary of state on November 3, 2026. The primary is June 30, 2026. The filing deadline is March 18, 2026.

For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

Candidates and election results[edit]

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

General election

The primary will occur on June 30, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for Colorado Secretary of State

Celeste Landry and Melissa Richards are running in the general election for Colorado Secretary of State on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward Party)
	Submit photo	Melissa Richards (Unaffiliated)

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State

Jessie Danielson and Amanda Gonzalez are running in the Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 30, 2026.

		Candidate
		Jessie Danielson
		Amanda Gonzalez

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State

James McKinzie, Cory Parella, Ross Taraborelli, and James Wiley are running in the Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 30, 2026.

		Candidate
		James McKinzie
		Cory Parella
	Submit photo	Ross Taraborelli
		James Wiley

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles[edit]

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Celeste Landry

Party: Colorado Forward Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography: "I am passionate about political participation, accurate communication, and the details – because the details often end up mattering! I especially advocate for the people who don’t have the time, energy or knowledge to advocate for themselves. I’m fair and have integrity. I have lived in Colorado and voted in every election since 1994. I have fought for the right to vote, better representation, and election integrity as a volunteer lobbyist at the state Capitol, at the Title Board, and at Secretary of State rulemaking hearings. I am a nationally recognized expert on better voting methods and a fierce advocate for governments allowing and encouraging every eligible voter to participate in elections. Please see the Priorities page of my website for specific documented examples of my record on the issues and the Meet page for more about my personal history. In addition to addressing the national election issues that all candidates will talk about, I want to focus on election issues right here in Colorado."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

1. The Right to Vote – I am the only candidate fighting against efforts to take away your right to vote. I’ve challenged the Attorney General’s interpretation of Amendment 76 for almost-18-year-old citizens in primary elections and testified against the unconstitutional vacancy “elections” in House Bills 25-1315 and 1319 which, for the first time in our nation’s history, disenfranchise voters based on political party affiliation.

2. Better Representation – I am the strongest candidate when it comes to advocating for voting methods which allow voters to better express their opinions and to provide constituents with better representation, including proportional representation. I introduced Rep. Joe Neguse to the U.S. Fair Representation Act, which he has since co-sponsored every session. I want Colorado’s Secretary of State to fulfill the office’s statutory obligations to provide rules and guidelines for cities that want to adopt proportional ranked voting.

3. Election Integrity – I have a record of balancing access to voting with election integrity. I lobbied successfully to limit electronic ballot return to only those people who truly need it. In the case of Senate Bill 21-188, this meant limiting electronic ballot return to people with a print disability. Electronic ballots are vulnerable to hacking and are not private.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses[edit]

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/CelesteLandry26.jpg

Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward)

1. The Right to Vote – I am the only candidate fighting against efforts to take away your right to vote. I’ve challenged the Attorney General’s interpretation of Amendment 76 for almost-18-year-old citizens in primary elections and testified against the unconstitutional vacancy “elections” in House Bills 25-1315 and 1319 which, for the first time in our nation’s history, disenfranchise voters based on political party affiliation.

2. Better Representation – I am the strongest candidate when it comes to advocating for voting methods which allow voters to better express their opinions and to provide constituents with better representation, including proportional representation. I introduced Rep. Joe Neguse to the U.S. Fair Representation Act, which he has since co-sponsored every session. I want Colorado’s Secretary of State to fulfill the office’s statutory obligations to provide rules and guidelines for cities that want to adopt proportional ranked voting.

3. Election Integrity – I have a record of balancing access to voting with election integrity. I lobbied successfully to limit electronic ballot return to only those people who truly need it. In the case of Senate Bill 21-188, this meant limiting electronic ballot return to people with a print disability. Electronic ballots are vulnerable to hacking and are not private.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward)

Administering elections with fairness and integrity, adopting better voting methods to empower voters, ensuring election results truly reflect the will of the voters, conducting efficient operations, being transparent and accountable, making data-driven decisions, and reducing unnecessary, burdensome, and self-defeating regulations.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward)

The Colorado Secretary of State is the head of the Department of State which works with the state’s 64 county clerks who actually conduct elections. The entire state government begins with electing the executive and legislative officials and calls for voters to participate in direct democracy through ballot measures and in retention elections for judges. The Department of State also oversees business licenses which are important legal documents.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward)

I would like my main legacy to be empowering voters – through protecting the constitutional right to vote, through making electoral changes that result in a better reflection of the will of the people, and by ensuring every voter’s ballot is counted in the way the voter intended.

The Elections Division within the Secretary of State’s office writes rules and guidelines for better voting methods, from proportional ranked voting which has a somewhat complex tabulation method to single-winner Approval Voting and the internationally popular proportional Open Party List system, both of which are much simpler and very transparent. Proportional voting methods also eliminate the effect of gerrymandering. I would also like to build collaborative relationships to support the Department of State’s goal of providing the highest level of public service. The most visible relationship is between the Secretary of State’s office and the county clerks, but the Secretary of State should also consult its Business and Licensing Division and its Information Technology Division to encourage ideas for improved customer service. As part of a team effort to serve all Coloradans, I would also welcome feedback on my own administration.

While advocating for Colorado voters and business entrepreneurs, I would encourage long-term thinking, and I would model non-partisan behavior.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward)

From 2nd grade on, I grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana. From age 11 to 14, I delivered The Daily Advertiser newspaper on my bicycle in the afternoons during the week and mornings on the weekend. Each month I collected the subscription payments in person so I knew all my customers (about 100), listened to their needs and provided good service. I was the first girl to be named Carrier of the Year; the newspaper carried a front-page photo of the award ceremony and presented me with a gold watch.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward)

The right to vote is fundamental to our identity as American citizens. Elections must be conducted fairly and securely. The Secretary of State should lead the way in encouraging all eligible citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote. The Secretary of State can also work to ensure voters can cast meaningful ballots that truly reflect the will of the electorate.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward)

In addition to its Election Division, the Department of State has a Business and Licensing Division which handles a wide range of filings from business and nonprofit registrations to notary public applications to bingo and raffle reports. Two other divisions, Administration and Information Technology, support the work of the Department of State.

The Electronic Recording Technology Board meets regularly to discuss best practices for electronic filing. The ERTB also provides grants to counties to implement technological advancements in electronic recording.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Celeste Landry (Colorado Forward)

Yes. As someone who has communicated regularly with the Colorado Department of State, I have experience navigating the Secretary of State’s rulemaking hearings, the Title Board hearings (which are chaired by a designee of the Secretary of State) and the legislative process where I have lobbied successfully for changes to election bills. Understanding the fiscal note attached to bills is important in today’s fiscally constrained environment. I also have years of experience filing campaign finance reports.

Voting information[edit]

See also: Voting in Colorado

Election information in Colorado: June 30, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

In-person: June 30, 2026
By mail: Postmarked by June 22, 2026
Online: June 22, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

In-person: N/A
By mail: N/A by N/A
Online: N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

In-person: June 30, 2026
By mail: Received by June 30, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

June 22, 2026 to June 30, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (MT)

Campaign finance[edit]

The section and tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.

Past elections[edit]

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.