Colorado § 1-1-302 - Persons required to complete certification - deadline.

§ 1-1-302. Persons required to complete certification - deadline.

(1) The following persons shall obtain certification in accordance with this part 3:

(a) The county clerk and recorder;

(b) Employees in the clerk and recorder's office who are directly responsible for overseeing elections;

(c) Other employees in the clerk and recorder's office at the discretion of the clerk and recorder;

(d) A designated election official for a county and a coordinated election official for a county; and

(e) Employees in the election division of the department of state at the discretion of the secretary of state.

(1.5) The secretary of state is strongly encouraged to obtain certification in accordance with this part 3.

(2) A person required to obtain certification shall:

(a) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2006, p. 2030, § 6, effective June 6, 2006.)

(b) Complete the certification requirements within one year of undertaking the responsibilities for which the person is required to obtain certification; except that a county clerk or deputy county clerk must complete the certification requirements required by this section within six months of taking office or before serving as the designated election official for a county or a coordinated election official, whichever is sooner; and

(c) Comply with the continuing education requirements prescribed by the secretary of state by rule.

(2.5) A person who is required to obtain certification pursuant to this section shall not serve as the designated election official for a county or the coordinated election official for a county unless the person has completed and maintained the certification required by this section. The department of state will make courses sufficiently available to enable persons to comply with the timing requirements for certification in this section. The secretary of state may waive the requirements of this subsection (2.5) for an individual who is appointed to the role of clerk, deputy clerk, designated election official for a county, or coordinated election official three months or less before an election.

(3) Nothing in this section is construed to require an elected official to attend a course of instruction or obtain a certification as a condition for seeking or holding elective office or as a condition for carrying out constitutional duties.

Source: L. 2005: Entire part added, p. 1394, § 3, effective June 6; entire part added, p. 1429, § 3, effective June 6. L. 2006: (2)(a) and (2)(b) amended, p. 2030, § 6, effective June 6. L. 2022: (1)(b), (2)(b), and (3) amended and (1)(d), (1)(e), (1.5), and (2.5) added, (SB 22-153), ch. 322, p. 2278, § 5, effective June 2.

Cross references: For the short title ("Colorado Election Security Act") and the legislative declaration in SB 22-153, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 322, Session Laws of Colorado 2022.