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Colorado > Colorado Electoral Code > Colorado Local Government Election Code

1-13.5-301. Eligibility for office – prohibitions – exceptions – challenges

Statute

(1) (a) No person except an eligible elector who is at least eighteen years of age, unless another age is required by law, is eligible to hold any office in this state. No person is eligible to be a candidate for office unless that person fully meets the qualifications of that office as stated in the constitution and statutes of this state on or before the date the person is nominated to the office. The designated election official shall not certify the name of any candidate who fails to swear or affirm under oath that he or she fully meets the qualifications as of the date of nomination or who is unable to provide proof that he or she meets any requirements of the office relating to registration, residence, or property ownership.

(b) The information found on the person’s voter registration record is admissible as prima facie evidence of compliance with the registration and residence requirements of this section. The information found in the property owners list is admissible as prima facie evidence of compliance with property ownership requirements.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (2), no person is eligible to be a candidate for more than one office in the same local government at one time. This subsection (2) does not: (a) Apply to memberships on different special district or business improvement district boards; or (b) Prohibit a candidate or elected official of any political subdivision from being a candidate or member of the board of directors of any special district, business improvement district, or districts in which he or she is an eligible elector, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

(3) The qualification of any candidate may be challenged by an eligible elector of the local government within five days after the date that the designated election official certifies the candidate to the ballot. The challenge shall be made by verified petition setting forth the facts alleged concerning the qualification of the candidate and shall be filed in the district court in the county in which the local government is located. The hearing on the qualification of the candidate must be held not less than five nor more than ten days after the date the designated election official’s statement is issued that certifies the candidate to the ballot. The court shall hear the testimony and other evidence and, within forty-eight hours after the close of the hearing, determine whether the candidate meets the qualifications for the office for which the candidate has declared. Part 1 of article 17 of title 13, C.R.S., regarding frivolous, groundless, or vexatious actions, applies to this section.

Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 11, § 6, effective February 18.

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 [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.