45 candidates -- including six candidates running for governor -- have turned in signature petitions in an attempt to get on the June 26 primary ballot.

Collecting signatures is one way of getting on the ballot; the other is going through the assembly process. In addition to governor hopefuls, candidates who collected signatures from voters are running for U.S. House, Treasurer, Attorney General, state Senate, state House, state Board of Education, and District Attorney.

Candidates were allowed to begin collecting signatures on Jan. 16 after getting their petition formats approved by the Colorado Secretary of State. The petitions were due back in the office by 5 p.m. Tuesday March 20, 2018.

The elections staff must complete the signature verification process before April 27 when primary ballots are set. Every single signature is checked.

"I'm excited at the level of participation from candidates and voters across the state," said Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams. "Colorado's new signature verification process will help us ensure everyone who turned in sufficient signatures is on the ballot so Colorado voters can make their choices."

The amount of valid voter signatures candidates must gather from members of their party depends on the office they are seeking. Candidates for statewide office must collect 10,500 signatures -- 1,500 per congressional district. 

The order that candidates turn in their petitions is important because voters can only sign one petition per race. The first petition that is received with that signature is the one that will count