Title 1, Elections
0 chapters · 550 sections in this title.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-101 Establishing precincts and polling places for partisan elections
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(1) Subject to approval by the board of county commissioners, the county clerk and recorder of each county shall divide the county into as many election precincts for all general, primary, and congressional vacancy elections as is convenient for the eligible electors of the count…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-101.5 Precinct numbering
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(1) There is hereby created a precinct numbering system that shall be used by the county clerk and recorder of each county of the state in numbering election precincts established in accordance with section 1-5-101. The precinct numbering system created pursuant to this section s…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-103 Changes in boundaries - partisan elections
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(1) Changes in the boundaries of precincts or the creation of new precincts for partisan elections must be completed no later than twenty-nine days prior to the first Tuesday in March, except in cases of precinct changes resulting from changes in county boundaries. (2) Subject to…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-104 Changes in boundaries - nonpartisan elections
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(1) Changes in the boundaries of precincts or the creation of new precincts for nonpartisan elections shall be completed no later than twenty-five days prior to scheduled elections, except in cases of precinct changes resulting from changes in the jurisdiction's boundaries. (2) A…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-105 Restrictions
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(1) [Editor's note: For the applicability of this subsection (1) on or after January 1, 2026, see the editor's note following this section.] No election-related activity may be conducted within one hundred feet of any building in which a polling location or drop-off location is l…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-106 Polling location or drop-off location - designation by sign
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(1) (a) All polling locations must be designated by signs conspicuously posted pursuant to subsection (1)(b) of this section at least twenty days before each election and during the period polling locations are open. The sign shall be substantially in the following form: Polling …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-107 Polling places for disabled electors - repeal. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 702, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 2004: (2) added by revision, pp. 1361, 1213, �� 30, 31, 108. Editor's note: Subsection (2) provided for the repeal of this section, effective January 1, 2006. (See L. 2004, pp. 1361, 1213.) 1-5-108. El…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-201 Notice of presidential primary election. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 702, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: Entire section repealed, p. 1409, � 43, effective July 1.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-201.5 Legislative declaration - purpose
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The general assembly declares that the purpose of this part 2 is to provide adequate notice of elections at a reasonable cost to the taxpayers of the state and its political subdivisions. Source: L. 94: Entire section added, p. 1155, � 20, effective July 1. 1-5-202. Notice of pre…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-203 Certification of ballot
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(1) (a) Except as provided in subsection (1)(c) of this section, no later than sixty days before any primary election, and no later than fifty-seven days before any general or odd-year November election or congressional vacancy election, the secretary of state shall deliver by el…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-204 Call for nominations for nonpartisan elections. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 703, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: Entire section amended, p. 1409, � 46, effective July 1. L. 94: Entire section amended, p. 1157, � 23, effective July 1. L. 96: Entire section repealed, p. 1742, � 32, effective July 1.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-205 Published and posted notice of election - content
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(1) The designated election official, or the coordinated election official if so provided by an intergovernmental agreement, no later than twenty days before each election, shall provide notice by publication of the election as described by section 1-1-104 (34), which notice must…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-206.5 Ballot issue notice. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 94: Entire section added, p. 1159, � 26, effective July 1. L. 96: Entire section repealed, p. 1775, � 84, effective July 1.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-206.7 Failure to receive mailed notice
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Any election for which a notice was mailed shall not be invalidated on the grounds that an eligible elector did not receive the ballot issue notice, mailed information, or mailed notification of the election required by this code or the state constitution if the designated electi…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-207 Court-ordered elections
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(1) When an election is ordered by the court for a special district, the court shall authorize the designated election official to give notice as provided in the order. (2) For an organizational election, the notice by publication shall include the purposes of the election, the e…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-208 Election may be canceled - when
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(1) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2010, (HB 10-1116), ch. 194, p. 832, � 11, effective May 5, 2010.) (1.5) Except as provided in section 1-4-104.5, if the only matter before the electors in a nonpartisan election is the election of persons to office and if, at the close of business o…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-301 Registration record for partisan elections
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(1) Digital registration records shall be maintained in the centralized statewide registration system created pursuant to section 1-2-301. (2) The county clerk and recorder shall provide the voter registration and voting records information to election judges for use at voter ser…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-302 Computer lists may be used in lieu of original registration records
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For the purposes of all elections, the county clerk and recorder may substitute and supply computer lists of registered electors within the political subdivision for the original registration record. Following a primary, general, or congressional vacancy election, the county cler…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-303 Registration records for nonpartisan elections
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(1) No later than the fortieth day preceding the date of the scheduled nonpartisan election, the designated election official shall order the registration records. The designated election official may order a complete list of the registered electors as of the thirtieth day prior …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-304 Lists of property owners
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(1) For elections where owning property in the political subdivision is a requirement for voting in the election, no later than the fortieth day preceding the date of the election, the designated election official, in addition to using the affidavit prescribed in section 32-1-806…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-401 Method of voting
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(1) For all general, primary, congressional vacancy, coordinated, odd-year, and recall elections, and for any election in which the governing body of a political subdivision other than a county determines that an election shall be by mail ballot, the county clerk and recorder or …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-402 Primary election ballots
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(1) No later than thirty-two days before the primary election, the county clerk and recorder shall prepare a separate ballot for each political party. The county clerk and recorder shall ensure that the ballots are printed in the following manner: (a) The county clerk and recorde…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-404 Arrangement of names on ballots for partisan elections
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(1) In all partisan elections, the names of all candidates and joint candidates who have been duly nominated for office shall be arranged on the ballot under the designation of the office in three groups as follows: (a) The names of the candidates of the major political parties s…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-406 Content of ballots for nonpartisan elections
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The designated election official shall provide printed ballots for every election. The official ballots shall be printed and in the possession of the designated election official at least thirty days before the election. Every ballot shall contain the names of all duly nominated …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-407 Form of ballots
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(1) (a) All ballots must be uniform and of sufficient length and width to allow for the names of candidates, officers, ballot issues, and ballot questions to be printed in clear, plain type, with a space between the different columns on the ballot. On each ballot the endorsement …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-408 Form of ballots - electronic voting. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 713, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 97: (4) amended, p. 185, � 3, effective August 6. L. 2004: (1), (3), and (4) amended, p. 1344, � 6, effective May 28. L. 2013: (3) amended and (4) repealed, (HB 13-1303), ch. 185, p. 711, � 41, effecti…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-409 Single cross mark for party slate not permitted
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Each office in every election shall be voted upon separately, and no emblem, device, or political party designation shall be used on the official ballot at any election by which an eligible elector may vote for more than one office by placing a single cross mark on the ballot or …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-410 Printing and distribution of ballots
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(1) In political subdivisions using paper ballots or electronic ballot cards, the designated election official shall have a sufficient number of ballots printed and distributed to the election judges in the respective polling locations. (2) This section does not apply to any elec…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-411 Substitute ballots
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If the ballots to be furnished to any election judges are not delivered at the time and in the manner required in section 1-5-410 or if after delivery they are destroyed or stolen, it shall be the duty of the designated election official to cause other ballots to be prepared, as …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-412 Correction of errors
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(1) The designated election official shall correct without delay any errors in publication or in sample or official ballots which are discovered or brought to the official's attention and which can be corrected without interfering with the timely distribution of the ballots. (2) …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-413 Sample ballots
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Sample ballots must be printed in the form of official ballots, but must be clearly marked as SAMPLE BALLOT. Sample ballots must be delivered to the election judges and posted with the cards of instruction provided for in section 1-5-504. All sample ballots are subject to public …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-502 Ballot boxes for nonmachine voting
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The governing body of each political subdivision using paper ballots or electronic vote counting equipment shall provide at least one ballot box for each polling location. The ballot boxes shall be strongly constructed so as to prevent tampering, with a small opening at the top a…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-504 Instruction cards
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(1) The designated election official of each political subdivision shall furnish to the election judges a sufficient number of instruction cards for the guidance of eligible electors in preparing their ballots. The election judges shall post at least one of the cards in each poll…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-504.5 Items to be posted at polling locations
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(1) The following items shall be posted at each polling location: (a) A polling location sign visible from the outside of the closest entrance to the polling location pursuant to section 1-5-106; (b) A sign notifying persons outside and inside of the polling location that no elec…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-505 Election expenses to be paid by county - repeal. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 717, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 99: Entire section amended, p. 1389, � 9, effective June 4. L. 2000: (1) amended, p. 655, � 1, effective August 2. L. 2023: (3) added by revision, (SB 23-276), ch. 399, pp. 2380, 2399 �� 17, 57. Editor…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-506 Election expenses in nonpartisan elections
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The cost of conducting a nonpartisan election, including the cost of printing and supplies, must be paid by the governing body calling the election. Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 717, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: Entire section amended, p. 1413, � 54, effective…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-507 County clerk and recorder to give estimate
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In any election called by a nonpartisan governing body where the county clerk and recorder will have responsibilities for the election, the county clerk and recorder shall give to the governing body estimates of the costs for conducting a coordinated election or a mail ballot ele…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-600.3 Definitions
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As used in this part 6, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) Electromechanical voting system shall include a paper-based voting system as defined in section 1-1-104 (23.5). Source: L. 2025: Entire section added with relocations, (SB 25-275), ch. 377, p. 2028, � 3, effective…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-601 Use of voting systems
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(1) In all elections held in this state, the votes may be cast, registered, recorded, and counted by means of an electronic or electromechanical voting system as provided in this part 6. (2) Repealed. Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 718, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-601.5 Compliance with federal requirements
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(1) All voting systems and voting equipment offered for sale on or after May 28, 2004, must meet the voting systems standards that were promulgated in 2002 by the federal election commission. At the secretary of state's discretion, the secretary may require by rule that voting sy…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-602 Requirements for voting machines - repeal. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 718, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: (1)(f) and (1)(k) amended, p. 1414, � 56, effective July 1. L. 95: (1)(e) amended, p. 862, � 119, effective July 1. L. 2004: (2) added by revision, pp. 1361, 1213, �� 30, 31, 108. Editor's note: Su…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-603 Adoption and payment for voting machines
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(1) The governing body of any political subdivision may adopt for use at elections any kind of voting machine fulfilling the requirements for voting machines set forth in this part 6. These voting machines may be used at any or all elections held in the political subdivision for …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-604 Experimental use - repeal. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 720, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 2004: (2) added by revision, p. 1361, 1213, �� 30, 31, 108. Editor's note: Subsection (2) provided for the repeal of this section, effective January 1, 2006. (See L. 2004, pp. 1361, 1213.) 1-5-605. Oth…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-605.5 Custody of voting system
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The county clerk and recorder or designated election official shall be the custodian of the voting system in a political subdivision and may appoint deputies necessary to prepare and supervise the voting system prior to and during elections. Source: L. 2004: Entire section added,…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-605.7 Mechanical lever voting machines - prohibited
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(1) No voting system using mechanical lever voting machines may be used in any election in this state. (2) Repealed. Source: L. 2004: Entire section added, p. 1345, � 12, effective May 28. L. 2010: (2) repealed, (HB 10-1116), ch. 194, p. 833, � 12, effective May 5. Cross referenc…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-607 Elected officials not to handle voting equipment or devices
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(1) In any political subdivision having a population of one hundred thousand or more, it is unlawful for any elected official or candidate for elective office to prepare, maintain, or repair any voting equipment or device that is to be used or is used in any election. The provisi…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-608 Requirements - electronic voting systems - repeal. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 721, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 94: (1)(e) amended, p. 1162, � 31, effective July 1. L. 95: (1)(c) amended, p. 862, � 120, effective July 1. L. 2004: (3) added by revision, pp. 1361, 1213, �� 30, 31, 108. Editor's note: Subsection (3…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-608.2 Punch card voting systems - prohibited
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(1) No punch card electronic voting system or other voting system in which the elector uses a device to pierce the ballot may be used in any election in this state. (2) Repealed. Source: L. 2004: Entire section added, p. 1345, � 12, effective May 28. L. 2010: (2) repealed, (HB 10…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-609 Acquisition and use authorized - repeal. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 721, � 8, effective January 1, 1993. L. 2004: (3) added by revision, pp. 1361, 1213, �� 30, 31, 108. Editor's note: Subsection (3) provided for the repeal of this section, effective January 1, 2006. (See L. 2004, pp. 1361, 1213.)
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-5-610 Preparation for use - electromechanical voting
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(1) Prior to an election in which an electromechanical voting system is to be used, the designated election official shall have all system components prepared for voting and shall inspect and determine that each component is in proper working order. The designated election offici…