HB19-1278: Colorado Votes Act - Summary

• Allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the next general election to vote in primary elections and register as preregistrants; preregistrants become automatically eligible to participate in primary elections.

• Establishes secure drop boxes and drop-off locations for mail ballots, with specific minimum requirements based on county size; requires voter service and polling centers on college campuses with 2,000+ enrolled students.

• Expands early voting access by requiring voter service and polling centers to be open for 15 days before elections (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with some exceptions) and mandates specific minimum numbers of centers based on county population.

• Implements comprehensive petition circulation reforms including licensing requirements for paid circulators, cirulator training programs, notarization standards, and requirements for circulators to be available for depositions in fraud cases.

• Creates state funding mechanism to reimburse counties for voting equipment costs and increases mail ballot accessibility by allowing out-of-county voters to obtain statewide ballots at polling locations; requires comprehensive election plans with throughput analysis.