Coroner candidate reverses course, remains on ballot in Colorado's Jefferson County despite lack of required certification

Allison Harmon entered the Jefferson County coroner's race in May with enthusiasm, promoting her experience as a nurse and her knowledge of the work performed by a coroner's office. She was unopposed in the Republican primary and won the party's nomination.

Three weeks later, she dropped out.

Now Harmon has changed her mind again and is remaining in the race — despite previously acknowledging that she does not meet Colorado's certification requirements for the office. The reason, according to the chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, is that the party wants Harmon to remain a candidate so it can challenge the state's coroner qualification law in court.

Rich Wyatt, chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, told CBS Colorado he believes the law is unconstitutional.

"So we are questioning the credibility of this law," Wyatt said.

Wyatt also objected to the lawmakers who approved the requirements.

"I didn't elect the ones who voted this in. I didn't vote them in and I don't appreciate what they've done," he said.

Wyatt said that if Harmon officially withdrew, the party would not have the legal footing it believes it needs to challenge the law.

"If we drop out, we have no standing to file a lawsuit against the state of Colorado, so we need standing to file a lawsuit," Wyatt said.

Harmon's decision to remain in the race comes after she announced June 1 that she was withdrawing because she did not meet the new requirements.

"I do not meet the new state qualifications required to hold the office," Harmon wrote in her withdrawal statement.

She also said that continuing to campaign for an office for which she was not qualified would violate her own principles.

"Running for this office without the proper qualifications would contradict my strong belief in integrity, honesty and putting the people of Jefferson County first," she wrote.

Harmon cited House Bill 24-1100, a law enacted in 2024 that established certification requirements for coroners in larger Colorado counties. Under the law, coroners elected in counties above the population threshold must be either certified death investigators or board-certified forensic pathologists.

Harmon has acknowledged she does not currently have the required certification.

In her withdrawal statement, Harmon said she had been advised when she was recruited to run that she met the qualifications. She said that after reviewing the new law, she learned that she did not.

"Upon further review, it became clear that recent statutory changes created new requirements that I do not currently meet," she wrote.

But after publicly announcing her withdrawal, she has now reversed course and is running again against Democrat Nick Lobello, a board certified death investigator.

Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder Amanda Gonzalez told CBS Colorado Harmon and Lobello will be the two candidates for coroner on the Nov. 3 general-election ballot since Harmon never filed the official paperwork to take herself off the ballot. 

"The Republican party has confirmed that their slate of candidates is set, and unless I receive official paperwork from a candidate stating otherwise, we'll be moving forward with the ones they've nominated," said Gonzalez.

Lobello questioned Harmon's decision to remain in the race.

"It makes me question her integrity by all means," Lobello said.

Lobello said the certification requirement has a significant purpose.

"I think that the law is present for a reason and I think that candidates should follow the law," Lobello said.

He said Harmon's decision to remain on the ballot despite lacking the required certification does not put the interests of residents in Jefferson County first.

"To skirt around the law and try to get on the ballot and try to get elected without following the law, it just doesn't put Jeffco first," Lobello said.

The situation raises a question that has yet to be resolved: What happens if Harmon wins the election but does not meet the statutory qualifications to hold the office?

CBS Colorado did not speak directly with Harmon but Wyatt said he was speaking for her.

The election is Nov. 3.