Read the full stored bill text
Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 26-0323.01 Sam Anderson x4218 HOUSE BILL 26-1080
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING A REQUIREMENT THAT A COUNTY CLERK AND RECORDER101
USE A TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES TO VERIFY102
SIGNATURES IN A MAIL BALLOT ELECTION.103
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
Currently, in every mail ballot election coordinated with or
conducted by a county clerk and recorder, a single election judge
personally conducts the review of each mail ballot for purposes of
signature verification, unless the county clerk and recorder allows the
election judge to use a signature verification device. The bill requires the
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Richardson and Paschal,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
(None),
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
county clerk and recorder to use a team of bipartis an election judges,
rather than a single election judge, to review mail ballots for purposes of
signature verification. The bill requires the secretary of state to adopt
rules concerning the procedure for using a team of bipartisan election
judges for such signature verification.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-7.5-107.3, amend2
(1)(a), (2)(a), (2)(c), (3), (4)(a), (5), and (6) as follows: 3
1-7.5-107.3. Verification of signatures - rules.4
(1) (a) Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, in5
every mail ballot election that is coordinated with or conducted by the6
county clerk and recorder, an election judge A TEAM OF BIPARTISAN7
ELECTION JUDGES shall compare the signature on the self-affirmation on8
each return envelope with the signature of the eligible elector stored in9
the statewide voter registration system in accordance with subsections (2),10
(3), and (4) of this section AND ANY RULES ADOPTED BY THE SECRETARY11
OF STATE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (6) OF THIS SECTION.12
(2) (a) (I) If, upon comparing the signature of an eligible elector13
on the self-affirmation on the return envelope with the signature of the14
eligible elector stored in the statewide voter registration system, the TEAM15
OF BIPARTISAN election judge JUDGES determines that the signatures do16
not match, or if a signature verification device used pursuant to17
subsection (5) of this section is unable to determine that the signatures18
match, two other election judges of different political party affiliations19
ONE OTHER ELECTION JUDGE OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION shall20
simultaneously compare the signatures;21
(II) If, both AFTER COMPLETING THE REVIEW OF SIGNATURES22
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2)(a)(I) OF THIS SECTION, THE other election23
HB26-1080-2-
judges agree JUDGE AGREES that the signatures do not match, the county1
clerk and recorder shall, within three days after the signature deficiency2
has been confirmed, but in no event later than two days after election day,3
send to the eligible elector at the address indicated in the registration4
records and to the eligible elector's electronic mail address if available a5
letter explaining the discrepancy in signatures and a form for the eligible6
elector to confirm that the elector returned a ballot to the county clerk and7
recorder. If the county clerk and recorder receives the form within eight8
days after election day confirming that the elector returned a ballot to the9
county clerk and recorder and enclosing a copy of the elector's10
identification as defined in section 1-1-104 (19.5), and if the ballot is11
otherwise valid, the ballot shall be counted. If the eligible elector returns12
the form indicating that the elector did not return a ballot to the county13
clerk and recorder, or if the eligible elector does not return the form14
within eight days after election day, the self-affirmation on the return15
envelope shall be categorized as incorrect, the ballot shall not be counted,16
and the county clerk and recorder shall send copies of the eligible17
elector's signature on the return envelope and the signature stored in the18
statewide voter registration system to the district attorney for19
investigation.20
(c) In the case of a disagreement among the election judges as to21
whether the signature of an eligible elector on the self-affirmation on the22
return envelope matches the signature of the eligible elector stored in the23
statewide voter registration system pursuant to the procedures specified24
in paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) SUBSECTION (2)(a) OF THIS25
SECTION, the signatures are deemed to match, and the election judge26
TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES shall follow the procedures27
HB26-1080-3-
specified in section 1-7.5-107 (6) concerning the qualification and1
counting of mail ballots.2
(3) If the election judge TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES3
determines that the signature of an eligible elector on the self-affirmation4
matches the elector's signature stored in the statewide voter registration5
system, the election judge TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES shall6
follow the procedures specified in section 1-7.5-107 (6) concerning the7
qualification and counting of mail ballots.8
(4) (a) An election judge A TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES9
shall not determine that the signature of an eligible elector on the10
self-affirmation does not match the signature of that eligible elector11
stored in the statewide voter registration system solely on the basis of12
substitution of initials or use of a common nickname.13
(5) (a) A county clerk and recorder may allow an election judge14
A TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES to use a signature verification15
device to compare the signature on the self-affirmation on a return16
envelope of an eligible elector's ballot with the signature of the elector17
stored in the statewide voter registration system in accordance with this18
subsection (5) and any rules promulgated by the secretary of state19
pursuant to subsection (6) of this section.20
(b) If a signature verification device determines that the signature21
on the self-affirmation on a return envelope of an eligible elector's ballot22
matches the signature of the elector stored in the statewide voter23
registration system, the signature on the self-affirmation is deemed24
verified, and the election judge TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES25
shall follow the procedures specified in section 1-7.5-107 (6) concerning26
the qualification and counting of mail ballots. If a signature verification27
HB26-1080-4-
device is unable to determine that the signature on the self-affirmation on1
a return envelope of an eligible elector's mail ballot matches the signature2
of the elector stored in the statewide voter registration system, an election3
judge A TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES shall compare the4
signatures in accordance with subsections (2), (3), and (4) of this section.5
(6) The secretary of state shall adopt rules in accordance with6
article 4 of title 24 C.R.S., establishing procedures for using signature7
verification devices AND FOR USING A TEAM OF BIPARTISAN ELECTION8
JUDGES to process ballots used in mail ballot elections pursuant to this9
article ARTICLE 7.5.10
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act11
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the12
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August13
12, 2026, if adjour nment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a14
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the15
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act16
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect17
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in18
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the19
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.20
HB26-1080-5-