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Colorado > Colorado Electoral Code > Provisional Ballots

1-8.5-105. Verification of provisional ballot information – counting procedure

Statute

(1) In accordance with this section and using the procedures and databases prescribed by the secretary of state by rules promulgated in accordance with article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., the designated election official shall attempt to verify that an elector who cast a provisional ballot is eligible to vote. The designated election official or designee shall complete the preliminary verification of the elector’s eligibility to vote before the ballot is counted in accordance with subsection (4) of this section.

(2) If the elector signs but does not fill in all the information requested on the provisional ballot affidavit, the ballot shall be counted only if the designated election official is able to determine that the elector was eligible to vote in the precinct and county.

(3) (a) If a provisional ballot affidavit is not signed, the designated election official shall send a letter to the elector within three days after the signature deficiency has been confirmed, but in no event later than two days after the election, informing the elector that the affidavit was not signed and that the provisional ballot cannot be counted unless the affidavit is signed. The letter shall state that the elector may come to the office of the county clerk and recorder to sign the provisional ballot affidavit no later than eight days after the election.

(b) If the elector does not sign the provisional ballot affidavit after receiving notice pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), the provisional ballot shall not be counted.

(c) The designated election official shall retain a copy of the letter sent pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (3).

(4) The designated election official shall determine the time for the verification and counting of provisional ballots to begin in accordance with rules promulgated by the secretary of state. A board appointed by the designated election official shall count all verified provisional ballots in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the designated election official in accordance with this title and the election rules of the secretary of state.

(5) The designated election official shall complete the verification and counting of all provisional ballots within nine days after a primary, general, odd-year, or coordinated election, or within an alternate period of time, if necessary, as designated by the secretary of state. The designated election official shall count all regular ballots cast in an election before counting any provisional ballots.

Source: L. 2005: Entire article added, p. 1416, § 39, effective June 6; entire article added, p. 1451, § 39, effective June 6.L. 2006: (1) and (4) amended, p. 2034, § 18, effective June 6.L. 2007: (5) amended, p. 1795, § 55, effective June 1.L. 2009: (3)(a) amended, (HB 09-1337), ch. 262, p. 1203, § 6, effective August 5.L. 2013: (5) amended, (HB 13-1303), ch. 185, p. 745, § 109, effective May 10.L. 2018: (5) amended, (SB 18-233), ch. 262, p. 1615, § 32, effective May 29.

Cross references: In 2013, subsection (5) was 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.

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.

Definition [Secretary]

The Colorado secretary of state. C.R.S. § 1-1.5-102.

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