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Colorado > Colorado Electoral Code > Mail Ballot Elections

1-7.5-104.5. Ballots and supplies for mail voting

Statute

(1) The county clerk and recorder or designated election official shall provide mail ballots, affidavits, certificates, envelopes, instruction cards, and other necessary supplies in the same manner as other election supplies are provided for in all elections and without cost to any eligible elector wishing to vote pursuant to this article.

(2) (a) The ballots must be in the same form as other official ballots for the same election.

(b) The approved form must include, at a minimum:

(I) Instructions to return a copy of identification with the ballot for first-time electors who are required to provide identification in accordance with section 1-2-501;

(I.5) [This subsection (2)(b)(I.5) is effective July 1, 2020.] Instructions to provide a signature for verification with the ballot for first-time electors who do not have a signature stored in the statewide voter registration system;

(II) Information regarding the availability of accessible voting systems in elections coordinated by the county clerk and recorder;

(III) Information regarding how to vote and return the ballot or obtain a replacement; and

(IV) Instructions to include adequate postage.

(3) In counties including more than one state senatorial district or more than one state representative district, or both, mail ballots must be provided in a manner to be determined by the county clerk and recorder for each combination of state legislative districts. Distinctive markings or colors may be used to identify political subdivisions when such colors or distinctive markings will aid in the distribution and tabulation of the ballots. A complete ballot may consist of one or more pages or cards so long as each page or card is numbered and identified as provided for paper ballots in sections 1-5-407 and 1-5-410. This subsection (3) applies to ballots to be cast on voting machines as well as to paper ballots and ballot cards that can be electronically counted.

(4) (a) On the mail ballot instructions, the following statements must be printed: “All ballots are counted in the same manner.” and “You must sign the affirmation on the envelope. Do not sign, initial, or print your name on the ballot.”

(b) The mail ballot instructions shall contain information on how the elector may verify that his or her mail ballot has been received by the county clerk and recorder or designated election official as provided in section 1-7.5-207.

Source: L. 2013: Entire section added, (HB 13-1303), ch. 185, p. 725, § 83, effective May 10. L. 2018: (4)(a) amended, (SB 18-233), ch. 262, p. 1612, § 26, effective July 1.L. 2019: (2)(b)(I.5) added, (SB 19-235), ch. 329, p. 3055, § 6, effective July 1, 2020.

Secondary Sources: In 2013, this section was added 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.
Definition [Political subdivision]

A governing subdivision of the state, including counties, municipalities, school districts, and special districts. C.R.S. § 1-7.5-103.

Definition [Designated election official]

The secretary of state, a county clerk and recorder, or other election official as provided by article XXI of the state constitution. C.R.S. § 1-12-100.5.

Definition [State]

A state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. C.R.S. § 1-8.3-102.

Definition [Title]

A brief statement that fairly and accurately represents the true intent and meaning of the proposed text of the initiative.

Definition [Ballot]

(a) A federal write-in absentee ballot;

(b) A ballot specifically prepared or distributed for use by a covered voter in accordance with this article; or

(c) A ballot cast by a covered voter in accordance with this article.

(2) “Covered voter” means:

(a) A uniformed-service voter defined in paragraph (a) of subsection (9) of this section who is a resident of this state but who is absent from this state by reason of active duty and who otherwise satisfies this state’s voter eligibility requirements;

(b) An overseas voter who, before leaving the United States, was last eligible to vote in this state and, except for a state residency requirement, otherwise satisfies this state’s voter eligibility requirements;

(c) An overseas voter who, before leaving the United States, would have been last eligible to vote in this state had the voter then been of voting age and, except for a state residency requirement, otherwise satisfies this state’s voter eligibility requirements; or

(d) An overseas voter who was born outside the United States, is not described in paragraph (b) or (c) of this subsection (2), and, except for a state residency requirement, otherwise satisfies this state’s voter eligibility requirements if the last place where a parent, legal guardian, spouse, or civil union partner of the voter was, or under this article would have been, eligible to vote before leaving the United States is within this state.

C.R.S. § 1-8.3-102.

Definition [Section]

A bound compilation of initiative forms approved by the secretary of state, which shall include pages that contain the warning required by section 1-40-110 (1), the ballot title, the abstract required by section 1-40-110 (3), and a copy of the proposed measure; succeeding pages that contain the warning, the ballot title, and ruled lines numbered consecutively for registered electors’ signatures; and a final page that contains the affidavit required by section 1-40-111 (2). Each section shall be consecutively prenumbered by the petitioner prior to circulation.

Definition [Election]

Any election under the “Uniform Election Code of 1992” or the “Colorado Municipal Election Code of 1965”, article 10 of title 31, C.R.S. C.R.S. § 1-7.5-103.

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