1-7-510. Election software code – escrow – definitions
Overview of Statute
After programming voting machines and verifying their proper functioning for county, statewide, or congressional vacancy elections, the designated election official must send a copy of the election setup records[1] to the secretary of state by 5:00 PM on the seventh day before the election. Officials must also send any revised report by noon on election day. These records will not be public records,[2] and the secretary of state must store the reports in a secure location for six months until returning the reports back to the election official. The secretary of state will also promulgate rules[3] for implementing this procedure.
[1] “Election setup records” means the electronic records generated by election tabulation software during election setup to define ballots, tabulation instructions, and other functions related to the election.
[2] Article 72 of title 24, C.R.S. defines public records.
[3] Article 4 of title 24, C.R.S. (“State Administrative Procedure Act”) provides rule-making procedure.
Statute
(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “election setup records” means the electronic records generated by election tabulation software during election setup to define ballots, tabulation instructions, and other functions related to the election.
(2) At the conclusion of programming and after it has been determined that a voting system is in proper working order and ready for voting, the designated election official shall deposit a copy of the election setup records for a county, statewide, or congressional vacancy election with the secretary of state no later than 5:00 p.m. on the seventh day before the election.
(3) If the election setup records are modified or altered after they are submitted to the secretary of state, the designated election official shall immediately report the change to the secretary of state and deposit the modified election setup records with the secretary of state no later than noon on the day of the election.
(4) The secretary of state shall retain election setup records for six months, after which the secretary of state shall return the election setup records to the designated election official. The designated election official shall retain the election setup records for the period of time for which the designated election official is required to retain official election records.
(5) Election setup records deposited with the secretary of state shall not be used for any purpose, except as directed by the secretary of state or ordered by a court. The tape, diskette, cartridge, or other magnetic or electronic storage medium containing election setup records deposited with the secretary of state shall be kept in a secure location when not being used for an official purpose in accordance with this subsection (5).
(6) The secretary of state shall promulgate rules in accordance with article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., to implement this section.
(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, election setup records deposited with the secretary of state pursuant to this section shall not be public records for purposes of article 72 of title 24, C.R.S.
Source: L. 2005: Entire section added, p. 1406, § 27, effective June 6; entire section added, p. 1442, § 27, effective June 6.
- Cross-References:
- Election Day
- Regulation & Duties of Election Officials
- Storage and Control of Voting Machines
- Voting Technology
The rules define “election setup records” as the electronic records, often in the form of a database or a set of databases, generated by election management software to create and define ballots, tabulation instruction, and other functions related to the election.
1. Definition for 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.
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 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.
6. 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.
7. Definition for Secretary
The Colorado secretary of state. C.R.S. § 1-1.5-102.