The 2026 Colorado Secretary of State election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the secretary of state of Colorado. Incumbent Democratic secretary Jena Griswold is term-limited and ineligible to seek reelection. Primary elections took place on June 30, 2026.
The general election will feature Democratic candidate Amanda Gonzalez, an election official who serves as Jefferson county clerk and recorder and Republican nominee James Wiley, a political consultant who been described as an election denier who has spread misinformation and conspiracy theories about the legitimacy of elections. Candidates from three minor parties are also on the ballot.
Background Incumbent secretary of state Jena Griswold who previously won in 2018 and was reelected in 2022, is term-limited and is running for Attorney General in 2026. Jefferson County clerk and recorder Amanda Gonzalez and state senator Jessie Danielson competed in the Democratic primary. Gonzalez won the primary with around 64% of the vote. The Republican candidate, James Wiley, ran unopposed.
Campaign Before becoming Jefferson County clerk and recorder in 2022, Gonzalez served as director of Colorado Common Cause, an advocacy group that aims to increase ballot access to voters and limit the influence of money in politics. As Clerk and Recorder of Jefferson county, Gonzalez oversees election operations for the county. Throughout the primary and general election, Gonzalez has said she will advocate for voting rights and uphold Colorado's electoral system if elected. She has also said she will defend the state's mail-in ballot voting system, advocate for electoral transparency and streamline Colorado’s campaign finance site TRACER if elected.
Republican candidate James Wiley was previously director of the Libertarian Party of Colorado before switching party affiliations to run for secretary of state. Colorado Public Radio described Wiley as a "MAHA Republican", someone aligned with the pro-Trump political health movement. Wiley has stated his belief that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election. Wiley has stated that if elected, he plans to remove the entirety of the state's voter rolls and require every voter in the state to re-register in person to continue to vote. He plans to decertify all electronic voting machines and end mail-in voting in the state if elected. Several of his proposed polices have been criticized by Republican and Democratic election experts as impractical, expensive, likely illegal under state and federal law, and a misunderstanding of election law. Wiley has claimed that Communist countries control elections in the state and throughout America via electronic voting equipment. According to the election law organization States United Action, Wiley has promoted conspiracies theories and misinformation about the legitimacy of elections.
Democratic primary Candidates To move forward to the primary, candidates had to petition onto the ballot or achieve 30% or more at the Colorado Democratic Party State Assembly. No candidate petitioned onto the primary ballot. Both Amanda Gonzalez and Jessie Danielson went through the State Assembly process. Both candidates achieved 30% or more. Nominee Amanda Gonzalez, Jefferson County clerk and recorder
Eliminated in primary Jessie Danielson, state senator from the 22nd district (2019–present)
Declined Jeff Bridges, state senator from the 26th district (2019–present) (running for state treasurer)
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee James Wiley, former executive director of the Libertarian Party of Colorado
Results
Libertarian primary Candidates Nominee Sean Vadney
Withdrawn Alex Astley
Results Following Alex Astley's "suspicious" withdrawal from the race one day after the deadline to replace third party candidates, the Libertarian Party of Colorado's vacancy committee nominated Sean Vadney. This nomination was originally blocked by the Colorado Secretary of State's office, however Denver District Court Judge Adam J. Espinosa approved a motion filed by Vadney putting him on the general election ballot, citing that the party met "substantial compliance".
Independents Declared Amanda Campbell (American Constitution) Celeste Landry (Forward) Sean Vadney (Libertarian)
Filed paperwork Melissa Richards
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball September 9, 2026
Post-primary endorsements
Results
See also 2026 United States Senate election in Colorado
References
External links Official campaign websites: Amanda Gonzalez (D) Celeste Landry (FWD) Sean Vadney (L) James Wiley (R)