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1-13.5-103. Definitions

Statute

As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) “Absentee voter” means an eligible elector who requests in writing that the designated election official mail a ballot to either the elector’s deliverable mailing address or to another address designated by the elector for the purpose of voting by mail. (1.5) “Affidavit” means a sworn statement in writing, including a self-affirmation.

(2) “Designated election official” means the person designated by the governing body of a local government or by court order to supervise election duties.

(3) “Electronic voting system” means a system in which an elector votes using a device by which votes are recorded electronically, including a touchscreen system.

(4) “Eligible elector” means a person who meets the specific requirements for voting at a specific election conducted under this article or for a specific candidate, ballot question, or ballot issue.

(5) “Issue committee” has the meaning set forth in section 1-45-103.

(6) “Local government” means any district, business improvement district, special district created pursuant to title 32, C.R.S., authority, or political subdivision of the state, authorized by law to conduct an election. “Local government” does not include a county, school district, regional transportation district, or municipality as defined in section 31-1-101 (6), C.R.S.

(7) “Pollbook” means the list of eligible electors who are permitted to vote at a polling place or by mail ballot at an election conducted pursuant to this article.

(8) “Polling place” means a place established for holding elections conducted under this article.

(9) “Property owners list” means the list of property owner names and addresses prepared by the county assessor in accordance with section 1-13.5-204.

(10) “Registration list” means the list of registered electors of each local government, as prepared by the county clerk and recorder for the county in which the local government is located or as obtained through state registration records in accordance with section 1-13.5-203.

(11) “Special district” means any public entity, as defined in section 24-10-103, C.R.S., that is authorized by law to hold an election; except that the term does not include a county, a municipality as defined in section 31-1-101, C.R.S., or a school district as defined in section 22-30-103, C.R.S.

(12) “Voter” means an eligible elector who voted in the most recent election conducted pursuant to this article.

(13) “Voting machine” means any device fulfilling the requirements for voting machines set forth in part 4 of article 7 of this title regarding its use, construction, procurement, and trial.

(14) “Watcher” means a registered elector of the local government whose name is submitted to the designated election official and certified by the designated election official to the appropriate election judges pursuant to section 1-13.5-602.

Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 6, § 6, effective February 18. L. 2016: (1.5) added, (HB 16-1442), ch. 313, p. 1266, § 1, effective August 10.

Editor’s note: Section 19 of chapter 313 (HB 16-1442), Session Laws of Colorado 2016, provides that changes to this section by the act apply to elections conducted on or after August 10, 2016.

Definition [Ballot issue]

A nonrecall,  citizen-initiated  petition  or legislatively-referred
measure which is authorized by the state constitution, including a question as defined in  sections 1-41-102 (3) and 1-41-103 (3), enacted in Senate Bill 93-98.

Definition [Political subdivision]

A governing subdivision of the state, including counties, municipalities, school districts, and special districts. C.R.S. § 1-7.5-103.

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 [Person]

Any natural person, partnership, committee, association, corporation, labor organization, political party, or other organization or group of persons. Section 2(11) of article XXVIII of the state constitution.

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 [Committee]

The committee of signers described in section 1-12-108(2). C.R.S. § 1-12-100.5.

Definition [Candidate]

Any person who seeks nomination or election to any state or local public office that is to be voted on in this state at any primary election, general election, school district election, special district election, or municipal election. “Candidate” also includes a judge or justice of any court of record who seeks to be retained in office pursuant to the provisions of section 25 of article VI. A person is a candidate for election if the person has publicly announced an intention to seek election to public office or retention of a judicial office and thereafter has received a contribution or made an expenditure in support of the candidacy. A person remains a candidate for purposes of this article so long as the candidate maintains a registered candidate committee. A person who maintains a candidate committee after an election cycle, but who has not publicly announced an intention to seek election to public office in the next or any subsequent election cycle, is a candidate for purposes of this article. Section 2(2) of article XXVIII of the state constitution.