§ C.R.S. § 1-2-301(untitled)

Centralized statewide registration system - secretary of state to maintain
computerized statewide voter registration list - county computer records - agreement to
match information - definition. (1) The secretary of state shall implement, in a uniform and
nondiscriminatory manner, a single, uniform, official, centralized, interactive, computerized
statewide voter registration system defined, maintained, and administered at the state level,
which system shall contain a computerized statewide voter registration list maintained by the
secretary of state that contains the name and registration information of every legally registered
voter in the state and that assigns a unique identifier to each legally registered voter. The single,
uniform, official, centralized, interactive, computerized statewide voter registration system
required by this subsection (1) is referred to in this part 3 as the "centralized statewide
registration system". The centralized statewide registration system and the computerized
statewide voter registration list must be fully compliant with all applicable requirements
specified in section 303 of the federal "Help America Vote Act of 2002", 52 U.S.C. 20901 et
seq.
(2) (a) On and after January 1, 2006, the county clerk and recorder of each county shall
maintain voter registration information by utilizing the centralized statewide registration system
developed or acquired by the department of state under subsection (1) of this section. Prior to the
implementation of the computerized statewide voter registration list required by subsection (1)
of this section, if the county chooses to maintain voter registration information on its own
computer system, the information required by law to be transmitted to the secretary of state shall
be transmitted in a media format acceptable to the secretary of state and within the time
prescribed by the secretary of state, by this section, and by section 1-2-302.
(b) Repealed.
(3) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2001, p. 514, § 1, effective January 1, 2002.)
(4) (a) (I) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2073, § 9, effective May 22, 2003.)
(II) The centralized statewide registration system shall enable county clerk and recorders
to maintain voter registration information and shall include such additional capabilities as may
be necessary or desirable to enable county clerk and recorders and the secretary of state to carry
out their responsibilities related to the conduct of elections. Such additional capabilities may
include but need not be limited to the preparation of ballots, the identification of voting districts
for each address, access by county clerk and recorders to the master list of registered electors
and, on or after January 1, 2006, the computerized statewide voter registration list maintained
pursuant to this section and section 1-2-302, the management of mail ballots, the preparation of
official abstracts of votes cast, the transmission of voting data from county clerk and recorders to
the secretary of state, and reporting of voting results on election night. County clerk and
recorders shall have access to the digitized signatures of electors in the centralized statewide
registration system for the purpose of comparing an elector's signature in the system with the
Colorado Revised Statutes 2024
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signature on the return envelope of a mail ballot, including by using a signature verification
device in accordance with section 1-7.5-107.3 (5).
(III) Subject to available appropriations, the department of state is responsible for the
cost of acquiring computer hardware and providing necessary training for the centralized
statewide registration system. The secretary of state shall promulgate rules specifying whether
such hardware is owned by the department or the counties or whether and to what extent
ownership may be shared between the department and the counties. If the department provides
system hardware to any county clerk and recorder, it may transfer ownership of the hardware to
that clerk and recorder. The secretary of state may promulgate rules providing that the county
clerk and recorders shall be solely responsible for the support and maintenance of the hardware
provided to the counties. On or after January 1, 2006, the department shall make the centralized
statewide registration system software available at no charge to the clerk and recorder of each
county.
(b) As soon as practicable, the department of state shall make the master list of
registered electors available at no charge on the internet to the county clerk and recorders. This
paragraph (b) shall not be construed to require the department to provide or pay for internet
connection services for any county.
(c) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2003, p. 2073, § 9, effective May 22, 2003.)
(5) (a) For elections conducted by mail ballot under the "Colorado Municipal Election
Code of 1965", article 10 of title 31, C.R.S., after March 30, 2018, a clerk must be given access
to the digitized signatures for each elector contained in the lists provided to the clerk pursuant to
section 31-10-910 (1), C.R.S., in the centralized statewide voter registration system for the
purpose of comparing an elector's signature in the system with the signature on the selfaffirmation on the return envelope of a mail ballot, including by using a signature verification
device, in accordance with section 31-10-910.3, C.R.S.
(b) As used in this subsection (5), "clerk" has the same meaning set forth in section 3110-102, C.R.S.
(6) By July 1, 2021, the department of state shall, in consultation with county clerk and
recorders, further develop the statewide voter registration database to minimize wait times at
polling locations. Specifically, the department of state shall develop the database to:
(a) Streamline the voter check-in process; and
(b) Provide a simple and intuitive user interface for election judges at voter service and
polling centers.
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effective May 18; (5) added, (HB 16-1070), ch. 130, p. 373, § 2, effective August 10. L. 2019:
(6) added, (HB 19-1278), ch. 326, p. 3008, § 9, effective August 2.