Allison Harmon will remain on the November 3 ballot for Jefferson County coroner, despite saying she does not hold the certification required by a Colorado law at the center of the dispute. She will face board-certified death investigator Nick Lobello, County Clerk and Recorder Amanda Gonzalez confirmed, CBS Colorado reported.
What the law requires
Colorado’s HB 24-1100 was approved by the governor on April 11, 2024, and took effect August 7 of that year. The Colorado General Assembly says it requires coroners elected on or after November 5, 2024, in counties with populations greater than 150,000 to be either certified and in good standing with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators or certified and in good standing with the American Board of Pathology.
Harmon won the Republican nomination unopposed. In June, she announced she was withdrawing, saying she did not meet the new qualifications. She later reversed course but remained on the ballot because she did not submit the official paperwork to remove her name, according to CBS Colorado. The station reported that Harmon acknowledged she lacks the required certification.
A proposed legal challenge
Jefferson County Republican Party chairman Rich Wyatt told CBS Colorado that the party wants Harmon to stay in the race so it can challenge the law, arguing her candidacy is needed for the party to establish standing. He said he believes the requirement is unconstitutional. Those are the party chairman’s stated arguments; the questions of constitutionality and standing remain unresolved.
Lobello criticized Harmon’s decision to remain on the ballot after announcing her withdrawal, telling CBS Colorado it raised questions about her integrity and whether she was putting residents’ interests first. He also argued the certification requirement serves an important purpose. Harmon and Lobello are both set to appear on the November 3 ballot.
