Colorado § 1-13.5-605 - Preparing to vote.

§ 1-13.5-605. Preparing to vote.

(1) Any eligible elector desiring to vote shall write his or her name and address on a form available at the polling place and shall give the form to one of the election judges, who shall thereupon announce the same clearly and audibly. If the elector is unable to write, he or she may request assistance from one of the election judges, and such judge shall sign the form and witness the elector's mark. The form made available must contain in substance the following:

I state under penalty of perjury that I am an elector who is eligible to vote each of the ballots that I have cast in this election; that my signature and name are as shown on this document; that I have not and will not cast more than one ballot for a matter to be decided in this election; and that my ballots are cast in accordance with applicable law.

Name: ..................................

Date:​ ....................................

Signature of elector: ...................................

If the person's name is found on the registration list or property owners list, as applicable, by the election judge having charge thereof, he or she shall repeat the name, and the elector shall be allowed to enter the immediate voting area.

(2) (a) Any person desiring to vote at any special district election as an eligible elector who does not appear on the registration list or property owners list for the district shall sign a self-affirmation that the person is an elector of the special district. The self-affirming oath or affirmation shall be on a form that contains in substance the following:

I, (printed name), who reside at (address), am an elector of this (name of special district) district and desire to vote at this election. I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I am registered to vote in the state of Colorado and qualified to vote in this special district election as:

____ a resident of the district or area to be included in the district; or

____ the owner of taxable real or personal property situated within the boundaries of the special district or area to be included within the special district; or

____ a person who is obligated to pay taxes under a contract to purchase taxable property in the special district or the area to be included within the special district; or

____ the spouse or civil union partner of (name of spouse or civil union partner) who is the owner of taxable real or personal property situated within the boundaries of the special district or area to be included within the special district.

I have not voted previously at this election.

Date ________________

Signature of elector ________________.

(b) A person otherwise eligible to vote in a local government election that is not a special district election whose name has been omitted from the registration list or property owner's list shall be permitted to vote by:

(I) Taking substantially the following self-affirmation:

I do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years or older; that I am a registered elector in this political subdivision; that I am eligible to vote at this election; and that I have not previously voted at this election; or

(II) Presenting to an election judge a certificate of registration issued on election day by the county clerk and recorder or a certificate of property ownership issued on election day by the county assessor as applicable; or

(III) An election judge verifying, on election day, the person's registration with the county clerk and recorder or through the statewide voter registration records maintained by the secretary of state, or, as applicable, obtaining verification of the person's property ownership from the county assessor.

(3) An election judge shall promptly contact the county clerk and recorder or the county assessor for verification required under paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of this section so that every eligible elector present at the polling place is allowed to vote. Notation of verification of registration or property ownership shall be made in the pollbook next to the eligible elector's name.

(4) The self-affirmation provided in subsection (2) of this section must be accepted in lieu of the verification of registration or property ownership unless the person's right to vote is successfully challenged.

(5) Besides the election officials, not more than four eligible electors in excess of the number of voting booths or voting machines are allowed within the immediate voting area at one time.

(6) The completed signature forms must be returned with other election materials to the designated election official. If no challenges are made, the forms may be destroyed after forty-five days following election day.

(7) In precincts using paper ballots, an election judge shall give the eligible elector one, and only one, ballot, which the election judge shall remove from the package of ballots by tearing or cutting the ballot along the perforated or dotted line. Before delivering the ballot to an elector, the election judge having charge of the ballots shall endorse his or her initials on the duplicate stub. An election judge shall enter the name of the elector and number of said ballot in the pollbook.

Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 23, § 6, effective February 18.