Republicans and participating independents have a deep bench from which to choose their nominee for governor.

Just how deep, they will see for themselves beginning Tuesday, when petition gatherers start popping up in neighborhoods and grocery store parking lots to get their candidate on the ballot for the June 26 election.

They will fan out statewide to get 1,500 signatures from the seven congressional districts from the campaigns of Walker Stapleton, Doug Robinson and Victor Mitchell.

The process isn’t new to Stapleton, who petitioned his way onto the ballot to win the 2010 state treasurer race.

Meanwhile, five other candidates will take their chances and try to win a spot through the caucuses and April 14 state assembly. Those candidates include Tom Tancredo, Greg Lopez, Lew Gaiter, Steve Barlock and Jim Rundberg.

Cynthia Coffman has not announced her intentions, but Colorado Politics reports Coffman’s campaign doesn’t have a petition format approved for the process.

Our advice is to be nice to the petitioner, even if you don’t like the candidate they are supporting. A simple “no thank you” is the best defense against petitions you don’t want to sign.