1-4-1301. Formation of minor political party
Overview of Statute
To form a minor political party, you must adopt a constitution or set of bylaws to govern the minor political party and its affairs, and exercise thereunder any power not in conflict with state law. The constitution or set of bylaws must be filed with the secretary of state. The bylaws must contain many provisions as outlined in this statute, including procedures for nominating candidates and conducting party conventions. The chairperson must also file any amendments with the secretary of state within fifteen days of the adoption of the bylaws.
The name of the minor political party can be no more than three words in addition to the word “party.” The name of the minor political party shall not use, in whole or in part, the name of any existing political party.
Statute
(1) A minor political party shall adopt a constitution or set of bylaws to govern its organization and the conduct of its affairs and shall exercise thereunder any power not inconsistent with the laws of this state. The constitution or set of bylaws shall be filed with the secretary of state. Any minor political party failing to file its constitution or set of bylaws pursuant to this section shall not be qualified as a minor political party. The constitution or set of bylaws shall contain the following:
(a) A method of nominating candidates for the partisan offices specified in section 1-4-1304 (1);
(b) A method for calling and conducting assemblies and conventions;
(c) A method for selecting delegates to assemblies and conventions;
(d) A method for the selection of members and a chairperson to the state central committee and for the selection of other party officers;
(e) A method for filling vacancies in party offices;
(f) The powers and duties of party officers;
(g) The structure of the state and county party organizations, if any;
(h) A statement that any meeting to elect party officers, including delegates, and any assembly to nominate candidates, shall be held at a public place at the time specified by the party chairperson and that the time and place of such meeting shall be published once, no later than fifteen days before such meeting, in a newspaper of general circulation in each county wherein the members of the minor political party reside;
(i) A statement that the party chairperson or his or her designee shall be the person who shall communicate on behalf of the minor political party; and
(j) A method for amending the constitution or set of bylaws.
(2) The chairperson of the party shall file any amendments to the constitution or set of bylaws with the secretary of state no later than fifteen days after the amendments are adopted.
(3) The name of the minor political party shall contain no more than three words in addition to the word “party”. The name of the minor political party shall not use, in whole or in part, the name of any existing political party.
Source: L. 98: Entire part added, p. 251, § 1, effective April 13.L. 99: (1)(h) and (2) amended, p. 769, § 34, effective May 20.L. 2003: (1)(b), (1)(c), and (1)(h) amended, p. 1311, § 9, effective April 22.
ANNOTATIONS
Editor’s note: Articles 1 to 13 were numbered as articles 1, 3, 4, 9 to 19, and 21 of chapter 49, C.R.S. 1963. The substantive provisions of these articles were repealed and reenacted in 1980, resulting in the addition, relocation, and elimination of sections as well as subject matter. For amendments to these articles prior to 1980, consult the Colorado statutory research explanatory note and the table itemizing the replacement volumes and supplements to the original volume of C.R.S. 1973 beginning on page vii in the front of this volume. Former C.R.S. numbers prior to 1980 are shown in editor’s notes following those sections that were relocated. For a detailed comparison of these articles for 1980, see the comparative tables located in the back of the index.
Cross references: For school elections, see articles 30, 31, and 42 of title 22; for elections for removal of county seats, see article 8 of title 30; for municipal elections, see article 10 of title 31; for special district elections, see part 8 of article 1 of title 32; for exemption of certain statutory proceedings from the rules of civil procedure, see C.R.C.P. 81; for recall from office, see article XXI of the state constitution; for recall of state and county officers, see part 1 of article 12 of this title; for recall of municipal officers, see part 5 of article 4 of title 31; for recall of directors of special districts, see § § 32-1-906, 32-1-907.
Editor’s note: Articles 1 to 13 were repealed and reenacted in 1980. This article was numbered as articles 10 and 11 of chapter 49, C.R.S. 1963. For additional historical information concerning the repeal and reenactment of articles 1 to 13 of this title in 1980, see the editor’s note immediately following the title heading for this title.
Cross references: For election offenses relating to access to ballot by candidates, see part 4 of article 13 of this title.
Law reviews: For article, “Constitutional Law”, which discusses a Tenth Circuit decision dealing with minor party ballot access, see 61 Den. L.J. 217 (1984); for article, “Constitutional Law”, which discusses a Tenth Circuit decision dealing with minor party ballot access, see 62 Den. U. L. Rev. 101 (1985).
- Cross-References:
- Ballot Access
- Candidate Methods of Nomination
- Minor Parties
1. Definition for Political party
Any group of registered electors who, by petition or assembly, nominate candidates for the official general election ballot. “Political party” includes affiliated party organizations at the state, county, and election district levels, and all such affiliates are considered to be a single entity for the purposes of this article, except as otherwise provided in section 7. Section 2(13) of article XXVIII of the state constitution.
2. Definition for 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.
3. Definition for Title
A brief statement that fairly and accurately represents the true intent and meaning of the proposed text of the initiative.
4. Definition for 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.
5. Definition for 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.
6. Definition for 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.
7. Definition for 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.
8. Definition for Secretary
The Colorado secretary of state. C.R.S. § 1-1.5-102.
9. Definition for Committee
The committee of signers described in section 1-12-108(2). C.R.S. § 1-12-100.5.
10. Definition for 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.