Colorado § 1-7-201 - Voting at primary election.

§ 1-7-201. Voting at primary election.

(1) Any registered elector including a preregistrant who is eligible under section 1-2-101 (2)(c), who has declared an affiliation with a political party that is participating in a primary election and who desires to vote for candidates of that party at a primary election shall show identification, as defined in section 1-1-104 (19.5), write the registered elector's name and address on a form available at the voter service and polling center, and give the form to one of the election judges.

(2) If the name is found on the registration list, the election judge having charge of the list shall likewise repeat the elector's name and present the elector with the party ballot of the political party affiliation last recorded.

(2.3) An eligible unaffiliated elector, including a preregistrant who is eligible under section 1-2-101 (2)(c), is entitled to vote in the primary election of a major political party without affiliating with that political party. To vote in a political party's primary election without declaring an affiliation with the political party, any eligible unaffiliated elector shall declare to the election judges the name of the political party in whose primary election the elector wishes to vote. Thereupon, the election judges shall deliver the appropriate party ballot to the elector. In addition, any eligible unaffiliated elector may openly declare to the election judges the name of the political party with which the elector wishes to affiliate and complete the necessary forms. An eligible elector must separately date and sign or date and initial a declaration of affiliation with a political party form in such manner that the elector clearly acknowledges that the affiliation has been properly recorded. Thereupon, the election judges shall deliver the appropriate party ballot to the eligible elector.

(3) Forms completed by eligible electors, as provided in subsection (1) of this section, shall be returned with other election materials to the county clerk and recorder. If no challenges have been made, the forms may be destroyed pursuant to section 1-7-802.

(4) Party ballots shall be cast in the same manner as in general elections. An elector shall not vote for more candidates for any office than are to be elected at the general election as indicated on the ballot.

(5) Instead of voting for a candidate whose name is printed on the party ballot, an elector may cast a write-in vote for any eligible candidate who is a member of the major political party and who has filed an affidavit of intent of write-in candidacy pursuant to section 1-4-1101. When no candidate has been designated by an assembly or by petition, a write-in candidate for nomination by any major political party must receive at least the number of votes at any primary election that is required by section 1-4-801 (2) to become designated as a candidate by petition.

(6) The provisions of subsections (1), (2), and (4) of this section shall not apply to a primary election conducted as a mail ballot election pursuant to article 7.5 of this title.

Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 738, § 9, effective January 1, 1993. L. 94: (3) amended, p. 1621, § 2, effective May 31. L. 98: (1), (2), and (5) amended, p. 259, § 12, effective April 13. L. 99: (2) amended, p. 162, § 17, effective August 4. L. 2003: (1) amended, p. 1277, § 3, effective April 22; (1) and (2) amended, p. 1313, § 13, effective April 22. L. 2010: (6) added, (HB 10-1116), ch. 194, p. 833, § 15, effective May 5. L. 2013: (1) amended, (HB 13-1303), ch. 185, p. 720, § 66, effective May 10. Initiated 2016: (2) amended and (2.3) added, Proposition 108, effective upon proclamation of the Governor, December 27, 2016. See L. 2017, p. 2825. L. 2018: (2.3) amended, (SB 18-233), ch. 262, p. 1618, § 42, effective May 29. L. 2019: (1) and (2.3) amended, (HB 19-1278), ch. 326, p. 3028, § 38, effective August 2. L. 2024: (1) amended, (SB 24-210), ch. 468, p. 3251, § 26, effective June 6.

Editor's note: (1) This section is similar to former § 1-7-201 as it existed prior to 1992.

(2) Amendments to subsection (1) by Senate Bill 03-102 and House Bill 03-1142 were harmonized.

(3) This section was amended by initiative in 2016. The vote count on Proposition 108 at the general election held November 8, 2016, was as follows:

FOR: 1,398,577

AGAINST: 227,117

Cross references: (1) In 2013, subsection (1) 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.

(2) For the declaration of the people of Colorado in Proposition 108, see section 1 on p. 2822, Session Laws of Colorado 2017.

(3) For the short title ("Colorado Votes Act") in HB 19-1278, see section 1 of chapter 326, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.