Title 1, Elections

(1) The return envelope for an absentee voter's ballot must have printed on its face a self-affirmation substantially in the form provided in section 1-13.5-605 (1). (2) If applicable, the self-affirmation provided in section 1-13.5-605 (2) may be substituted for the self-affirma…

(1) Any eligible elector applying for and receiving an absentee voter's ballot, in casting the ballot, shall make and subscribe to the self-affirmation on the return envelope. The voter shall then mark the ballot. The voter shall fold the ballot so as to conceal the marking, depo…

(1) Any local government using voting machines in a local government election may provide one or more machines in the designated election official's office for the use of qualified applicants for absentee voters' ballots. If such machines are provided, they must be available from…

Not later than 8:30 a.m. on the day of any local government election, the designated election official shall deliver to the election judges of one of the polling places of the local government, which polling place shall be selected by the designated election official, all the abs…

If the self-affirmation on the envelope containing an absentee voter's ballot is properly sworn to, one of the election judges shall tear open the voter's identification envelope in the presence of a majority of the judges without defacing the self-affirmation printed thereon or …

This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Colorado Local Government Election Code". Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 5, § 6, effective February 18.

(1) The vote of any absentee voter may be challenged in the same manner as other votes are challenged, and the election judges may determine the legality of such ballot. If the challenge is sustained or if the judges determine that the self-affirmation accompanying the absentee v…

(1) (a) If an eligible elector is confined in a hospital or at his or her place of residence on election day because of conditions arising after the closing day for absentee voters' ballot applications, he or she may request, by a written statement signed by him or her, that the …

(1) This article applies only to nonpartisan elections not coordinated by county clerk and recorders that are conducted by a local government; except that nothing prohibits the governing body of a local government from utilizing any requirements and procedures of the "Uniform Ele…

As used in this article 13.5, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Absentee voter" means an eligible elector who requests in writing that the designated election official mail a ballot to either the elector's deliverable mailing address or to another address designated by …

Any elections, and any acts relating thereto, carried out under law that were conducted prior to July 1, 1987, pursuant to provisions that referred to a qualified elector rather than an eligible elector and that were valid when conducted are deemed and held to be legal and valid …

Acts and elections conducted pursuant to provisions that refer to registered electors, any elections, and any acts relating to those elections carried out under law that were conducted prior to July 1, 1992, and that were valid when conducted are held to be legal and valid in all…

(1) Any local government may provide by resolution that it will utilize all or part of the requirements and procedures of the "Uniform Election Code of 1992", articles 1 to 13 of this title, in lieu of all or portions of this article with respect to any election. Absent such reso…

(1) Calendar days shall be used in all computations of time made under this article. (2) In computing time for any act or event to be done before any local government election, the first day is excluded, and the last, or election, day is included. Saturdays, Sundays, and legal ho…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this article, the designated election official shall render all interpretations and shall make all initial decisions as to controversies or other matters arising in the operation of this article. (2) All powers and authority granted to the desi…

Substantial compliance with the provisions or intent of this article is all that is required for the proper conduct of an election to which this article applies. Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 8, § 6, effective February 18.

Special elections must be held on such date as may be provided by law by the local government calling the special election. Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 8, § 6, effective February 18.

Any local government may conduct an independent mail ballot election utilizing the procedures in this part 11. Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 43, § 6, effective February 18.

As used in this part 11, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Independent mail ballot election" means a mail ballot election that the governing body of a local government determines will not be coordinated by the county clerk and recorder. (2) "Mail ballot packet" means th…

(1) If the governing body of any local government determines that an election shall be by independent mail ballot, the designated election official for the local government shall conduct the election by mail ballot pursuant to this part 11. (2) Nothing in this part 11 requires th…

(1) The designated election official responsible for conducting an election that is to be by independent mail ballot pursuant to this part 11 shall, no later than fifty-five days prior to the election, have on file at the principal office of the local government or designated ele…

(1) Official ballots must be prepared and all other preelection procedures followed as otherwise provided by law; except that mail ballot packets must be prepared in accordance with this part 11. (2) (a) Except for coordinated elections conducted pursuant to an intergovernmental …

For independent mail ballot elections conducted under this part 11, upon the request of any eligible elector of the local government residing in a facility described in section 1-7.5-113 (1), the designated election official shall appoint a committee for delivery of mail ballots …

(1) If an elector delivers a ballot, mail ballot, or absentee voter's ballot to the designated election official, polling place, or election judge of another local government, or to the county clerk and recorder, the recipient may accept the ballot and, if accepted, must arrange …

The election officials at the mail ballot counting place shall receive and prepare mail ballots delivered and turned over to them by the election judges for counting. Counting of the mail ballots may begin fifteen days prior to the election and continue until counting is complete…

Any write-in candidate is allowed in independent mail ballot elections if the candidate has filed an affidavit of intent with the designated election official as required by law. Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 48, § 6, effective February 18.

Votes cast pursuant to this part 11 may be challenged pursuant to and in accordance with law, including the challenge and rejection of ballot provisions set forth in section 1-13.5-1010. Any independent mail ballot election conducted pursuant to this part 11 will not be invalidat…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of this section, regular special district elections must be held on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday of May in every odd-numbered year. (2) Special elections may be held only on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in …

(1) Unless otherwise provided by law, the regular term of office of a nonpartisan officer elected at a regular election commences the earlier of the following: (a) No later than thirty days after the date that the election results are certified pursuant to section 1-13.5-1305 and…

Unless otherwise permitted pursuant to section 1-13.5-605, no person is permitted to vote at any local government election unless his or her name is found on the registration list or property owners list, if applicable, or unless the person's registration or property ownership is…

(1) When any person whose name appears on the registration list or property owners list applies for a ballot, his or her right to vote at that election may be challenged. If the person applying is not entitled to vote, no ballot shall be delivered to him or her. Any person may al…

Each challenge must be made by written oath, signed by the challenger under penalty of perjury, setting forth the name of the person challenged and the basis for the challenge. The election judges shall deliver all challenges and oaths to the designated election official at the t…

(1) If a person offering to vote is challenged as unqualified, one of the election judges shall tender to him or her the following written oath or affirmation: "You do solemnly swear or affirm that you will fully and truly answer all such questions as are put to you regarding you…

(1) If the challenge is not withdrawn after the person offering to vote has answered the questions asked pursuant to section 1-13.5-1204, one of the election judges shall tender the following oath: You do solemnly swear or affirm that you are a citizen of the United States of the…

If the challenged person refuses to answer fully any question which is put to him or her as provided in section 1-13.5-1204 or refuses to take the oath or affirmation tendered as provided in section 1-13.5-1205, the election judges shall reject the challenged person's vote. Sourc…

(1) At least fifteen days before any election, the designated election official shall appoint at least one member of the governing body of a local government, and at least one eligible elector of the local government who is not a member of that body, to assist the designated elec…

If the canvass board finds that the returns from any polling place do not strictly conform to the requirements of law in the making, certifying, and returning of the returns, the votes cast in that polling place nevertheless must be canvassed and counted if such returns are suffi…

If, upon proceeding to canvass the votes, it clearly appears to the canvass board that in any statement produced to them certain matters are omitted that should have been inserted or that any mistakes which are merely clerical exist, the canvass board shall send the statement to …

If any two or more candidates receive an equal and highest number of votes for the same office, and if there are not enough offices remaining for all such candidates, the canvass board shall determine by lot the person who shall be elected. Reasonable notice shall be given to suc…

(1) No later than the fourteenth day following the election, the canvass board shall make statements from the official abstract of votes that show the names of the candidates, any ballot issue or ballot question, and the number of votes given to each. The canvass board shall cert…

(1) The designated election official shall order a recount of the votes cast in any election if it appears, as evidenced by the survey of returns, that the difference between the highest number of votes cast in the election and the next highest number of votes cast in the electio…

(1) The election of any person declared duly elected to any local government office may be contested by any eligible elector of the local government on the following grounds: (a) The contestee is not eligible for the office to which he or she has been declared elected; (b) Illega…

(1) All contested election cases of local government officers shall be tried and determined in the district court of the county in which the local government is located. If the territorial boundaries of a local government overlap wholly or partially with more than one county, the…

The contestor shall file in the office of the clerk of the district court, within ten days after the expiration of the period within which a recount may be requested pursuant to section 1-13.5-1306, or within ten days after the conclusion of a recount conducted pursuant to sectio…

(1) If the clerk of the district court receives a statement as set forth in section 1-13.5-1403, the clerk shall issue a summons in the ordinary form, naming the contestor as plaintiff and the contestee as defendant, stating the court in which the action is brought and a brief st…

Immediately after the joining of issue, the district court shall fix a date for the trial to commence, which date shall not be more than twenty days nor less than ten days after the joining of issue. The trial takes precedence over all other business in the court. The testimony m…