Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-2-300.3, Definitions

As used in this part 3, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) Centralized statewide registration system means the single, uniform, official, centralized, interactive, computerized statewide voter registration system implemented as required by section 1-2-301 (1).

Source: L. 2025: Entire section added, (SB 25-275), ch. 377, p. 2027, � 1, effective August 6.

1-2-301. Centralized statewide registration system - secretary of state to maintain computerized statewide voter registration list - county computer records - agreement to match information - definition. (1) The secretary of state shall implement, in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner, a single, uniform, official, centralized, interactive, computerized statewide voter registration system defined, maintained, and administered at the state level, which system shall contain a computerized statewide voter registration list maintained by the secretary of state that contains the name and registration information of every legally registered voter in the state and that assigns a unique identifier to each legally registered voter. The centralized statewide registration system and the computerized statewide voter registration list must be fully compliant with all applicable requirements specified in section 303 of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, 52 U.S.C. sec. 20901 et seq.

(2) (a) On and after January 1, 2006, the county clerk and recorder of each county shall maintain voter registration information by utilizing the centralized statewide registration system developed or acquired by the department of state under subsection (1) of this section. Prior to the implementation of the computerized statewide voter registration list required by subsection (1) of this section, if the county chooses to maintain voter registration information on its own computer system, the information required by law to be transmitted to the secretary of state shall be transmitted in a media format acceptable to the secretary of state and within the time prescribed by the secretary of state, by this section, and by section 1-2-302.

(b) Repealed.

(3) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2001, p. 514, � 1, effective January 1, 2002.)

(4) (a) (I) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2073, � 9, effective May 22, 2003.)

(II) The centralized statewide registration system shall enable county clerk and recorders to maintain voter registration information and shall include such additional capabilities as may be necessary or desirable to enable county clerk and recorders and the secretary of state to carry out their responsibilities related to the conduct of elections. Such additional capabilities may include but need not be limited to the preparation of ballots, the identification of voting districts for each address, access by county clerk and recorders to the master list of registered electors and, on or after January 1, 2006, the computerized statewide voter registration list maintained pursuant to this section and section 1-2-302, the management of mail ballots, the preparation of official abstracts of votes cast, the transmission of voting data from county clerk and recorders to the secretary of state, and reporting of voting results on election night. County clerk and recorders shall have access to the digitized signatures of electors in the centralized statewide registration system for the purpose of comparing an elector's signature in the system with the signature on the return envelope of a mail ballot, including by using a signature verification device in accordance with section 1-7.5-107.3 (5).

(III) Subject to available appropriations, the department of state is responsible for the cost of acquiring computer hardware and providing necessary training for the centralized statewide registration system. The secretary of state shall promulgate rules specifying whether such hardware is owned by the department or the counties or whether and to what extent ownership may be shared between the department and the counties. If the department provides system hardware to any county clerk and recorder, it may transfer ownership of the hardware to that clerk and recorder. The secretary of state may promulgate rules providing that the county clerk and recorders shall be solely responsible for the support and maintenance of the hardware provided to the counties. On or after January 1, 2006, the department shall make the centralized statewide registration system software available at no charge to the clerk and recorder of each county.

(b) As soon as practicable, the department of state shall make the master list of registered electors available at no charge on the internet to the county clerk and recorders. This paragraph (b) shall not be construed to require the department to provide or pay for internet connection services for any county.

(5) (a) For elections conducted by mail ballot under the Colorado Municipal Election Code of 1965, article 10 of title 31, C.R.S., after March 30, 2018, a clerk must be given access to the digitized signatures for each elector contained in the lists provided to the clerk pursuant to section 31-10-910 (1), C.R.S., in the centralized statewide voter registration system for the purpose of comparing an elector's signature in the system with the signature on the self-affirmation on the return envelope of a mail ballot, including by using a signature verification device, in accordance with section 31-10-910.3, C.R.S.

(b) As used in this subsection (5), clerk has the same meaning set forth in section 31-10-102, C.R.S.

(6) By July 1, 2021, the department of state shall, in consultation with county clerk and recorders, further develop the statewide voter registration database to minimize wait times at polling locations. Specifically, the department of state shall develop the database to:

(a) Streamline the voter check-in process; and

(b) Provide a simple and intuitive user interface for election judges at voter service and polling centers.

Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 662, � 2, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: (3) added, p. 2039, � 1, effective July 1. L. 94: (2) amended, p. 1152, � 10, effective July 1; (3) amended, p. 2542, � 8, effective January 1, 1995. L. 95: (2) amended, p. 179, � 2, effective April 7. L. 97: (1) and (2)(b) amended, p. 474, � 10, effective July 1. L. 99: (2)(b) amended, p. 759, � 11, effective May 20. L. 2000: (1) amended, p. 1758, � 2, effective January 1, 2001. L. 2001: (4) added, p. 515, � 2, effective May 18; (2)(a) and (3) amended, p. 514, � 1, effective January 1, 2002. L. 2003: (1), (2)(a), and (4) amended, p. 2073, � 9, effective May 22. L. 2005: (1) amended, p. 758, � 1, effective June 1. L. 2007: (4)(a)(II) amended, p. 1776, � 7, effective June 1. L. 2008: (4)(a)(II) amended, p. 356, � 1, effective April 10. L. 2009: (2)(b) repealed, (HB 09-1018), ch. 158, p. 682, � 2, effective August 5. L. 2014: (4)(a)(II) amended, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 72, � 35, effective February 18. L. 2016: (1) amended, (SB 16-142), ch. 173, p. 573, � 19, effective May 18; (5) added, (HB 16-1070), ch. 130, p. 373, � 2, effective August 10. L. 2019: (6) added, (HB 19-1278), ch. 326, p. 3008, � 9, effective August 2. L. 2025: (1) amended, (SB 25-275), ch. 377, p. 2027, � 2, effective August 6.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former � 1-2-301 as it existed prior to 1992.

Cross references: (1) For the legislative declaration in HB 14-1164, see section 1 of chapter 2, Session Laws of Colorado 2014.

(2) For the short title (Colorado Votes Act) in HB 19-1278, see section 1 of chapter 326, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.

1-2-302. Maintenance of computerized statewide voter registration list - confidentiality. (1) The secretary of state shall maintain the master list of registered electors of the entire state on as current a basis as is possible.

(1.5) The maintenance of the computerized statewide voter registration list by the secretary of state pursuant to section 1-2-301 (1) shall be conducted in a manner that ensures that:

(a) The name of each registered elector appears in the computerized statewide voter registration list;

(b) Only the names of voters who are not registered or who are not eligible to vote are removed from the computerized statewide voter registration list; and

(2) The electors on the computerized statewide voter registration list shall be identified by name, place of residence, precinct number, date of birth, Colorado driver's license number, social security number, or other identification number, as such numbers may have been provided by the elector at the time the elector first registered to vote, and the date of registration.

(3) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2009, (HB 09-1018), ch. 158, p. 683, � 3, effective August 5, 2009.)

(3.5) (a) The secretary of state shall coordinate the computerized statewide voter registration list with state agency records on death. Upon being furnished with the report provided to him or her by the state registrar of vital statistics pursuant to section 1-2-602 (1), the secretary of state may electronically cancel the registration of deceased persons.

(b) The secretary of state shall coordinate the computerized statewide voter registration list with state agency records on felony status. Upon being furnished with information from the Colorado integrated criminal justice system that a particular registered elector has been convicted of a felony, the secretary of state may electronically cancel the registration of persons who have been convicted of a felony.

(4) Repealed.

(5) (a) (Deleted by amendment, L. 97, p. 476, � 18, effective July 1, 1997.)

(b) Repealed.

(6) The secretary of state shall determine and use other necessary means to maintain the master list of registered electors on a current basis. The department of state and the department of revenue shall allow for the exchange of information between the systems used by them to collect information on residence addresses, signatures, and party affiliation for all applicants for driver's licenses or state identification cards. No later than July 31, 2019, the department of state shall regularly provide the department of revenue with current voter registration information. The department of revenue must use the information to determine whether an individual is registered to vote at the time he or she applies to obtain, renew, or update a driver's license or state identification card. The department of state shall reimburse the department of revenue, through a one-time reimbursement, for any initial costs the department of revenue incurs in connection with updating Colorado DRIVES, as defined in section 42-1-102 (16.5), to allow the department of revenue to receive voter registration information and to use such information for the purposes described in this section. The department of revenue may exchange information on residence addresses in the driver's license database with the motor vehicle registration database, motorist insurance database, and the state income tax information systems.

(6.5) (a) At the earliest practical time, the secretary of state, acting on behalf of the department of state, and the executive director of the department of revenue, as the official responsible for the division of motor vehicles, shall enter into an agreement to match information in the database of the centralized statewide registration system with information in the database of the division of motor vehicles to the extent required to enable each department to verify the accuracy of the information provided on applications for voter registration in conformity with the requirements of section 1-2-301.

(b) At the earliest practical time, the secretary of state, acting on behalf of the department of state, shall enter into agreements with the executive directors of the department of public health and environment and the department of corrections to access information in the databases of the department of public health and environment and the department of corrections, to the extent required to enable the verification of the accuracy of the information provided on applications for voter registration in conformity with the requirements of section 1-2-301.

(c) At the earliest practical time, the secretary of state, acting on behalf of the department of state, shall enter into agreements with the executive directors of voter registration agencies as defined in section 1-2-504 (1)(a) and (1)(b) to the extent required to enable the transfer and verification of information for voter registration purposes in accordance with section 1-2-502.5.

(6.7) The department of revenue shall enter into an agreement with the federal commissioner of social security for the purpose of verifying applicable information in accordance with the requirements of section 303 (a)(5)(B)(ii) of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, 52 U.S.C. sec. 20901 et seq. On or before March 1, 2022, the department of revenue shall provide access to the department of state for verification of a person's name, date of birth, and the last four digits of the person's social security number pursuant to the agreement entered into under this section to allow real-time interactive validation of online voter registration applicants pursuant to section 1-2-202.5.

(6.8) In accordance with subsections (6) and (6.5) of this section, the secretary of state may forward any information obtained from the division of motor vehicles in the department of revenue or voter registration agencies as defined in section 1-2-504 (1)(a) and (1)(b) to the appropriate county clerk and recorder. If the information meets the minimum matching criteria as specified in sections 1-2-603 and 1-2-604, the clerk shall then update the elector's voter registration record in the master list of registered electors.

(7) Repealed.

(8) The secretary of state shall provide adequate technological security measures to prevent unauthorized access to the computerized statewide voter registration list. The secretary of state shall also establish adequate and reasonable technological security requirements for the exchange or transfer of data related to voter registration between the secretary of state and any other state agency or voter registration agency as defined in section 1-2-504 (1)(a) and (1)(b). Before commencing any data exchange or transfer required under this article 2, and no later than the date such exchange or transfer is required by statute to begin, the state agency or voter registration agency shall adhere to the technological security requirements established by the secretary of state under this section. The secretary of state, the department of revenue, the department of public health and environment, the department of corrections, and the clerk and recorders shall not sell, disclose, or otherwise release a social security number, a driver's license or a state-issued identification number, or the unique identification number assigned by the secretary of state to the voter pursuant to section 1-2-204 (2.5) or electronic copies of signatures created, transferred, or maintained pursuant to this section or section 42-1-211, to any individual other than the elector who created such signature absent such elector's consent; except that nothing in this subsection (8) prohibits the sale, disclosure, or release of an electronic copy of such signature for use by any other public entity in carrying out its functions, or the sale, disclosure, or release of a photocopied or microfilmed image of an elector's signature.

Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 662, � 2, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: (6) amended, p. 2040, � 2, effective July 1. L. 94: (6) amended, p. 2542, � 9, effective January 1, 1995. L. 95: IP(1) and (3) amended, p. 180, � 3, effective April 7. L. 97: (1) to (3) and (5)(a) amended and (4), (5)(b), and (7) repealed, pp. 476, 478, ��18, 23, effective July 1. L. 99: (1) amended, p. 759, � 12, effective May 20. L. 2001: (6) amended, p. 518, � 7, effective January 1, 2002. L. 2002: (6) amended, p. 1626, � 2, effective June 7; (8) added, p. 1864, � 1, effective June 7. L. 2003: (1.5), (3.5), (6.5), and (6.7) added and (2), (3), and (8) amended, p. 2075, � 10, effective May 22. L. 2005: (6.7) amended, p. 759, � 2, effective June 1; (6.5) amended, p. 17, � 1, effective July 1. L. 2009: (6) amended, (HB 09-1160), ch. 263, p. 1208, � 2, effective May 15; (1) and (3) amended, (HB 09-1018), ch. 158, p. 683, � 3, effective August 5. L. 2013: (6.5) and (8) amended, (HB 13-1303), ch. 185, p. 696, � 19, effective May 10. L. 2015: (6.8) added, (SB 15-060), ch. 147, p. 444, � 1, effective August 5. L. 2016: (6.7) amended, (SB 16-142), ch. 173, p. 573, � 20, effective May 18. L. 2017: (6) and (6.7) amended, (HB 17-1107), ch. 101, p. 373, � 27, effective August 9. L. 2018: (6) amended, (SB 18-233), ch. 262, p. 1606, � 7, effective May 29. L. 2019: (6.5)(c) added and (6.8) and (8) amended, (SB 19-235), ch. 329, p. 3051, � 2, effective August 2. L. 2021: (6.7) amended, (SB 21-250), ch. 282, p. 1633, � 4, effective June 21.

Editor's note: (1) This section is similar to former � 1-2-302 as it existed prior to 1992.

(2) Subsections (4) and (7) were relocated to � 1-2-602 and subsection (5)(b) was relocated to � 1-2-604 in 1997.

Cross references: In 2013, subsections (6.5) and (8) were amended by the Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act. For the short title and the legislative declaration, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 185, Session Laws of Colorado 2013.