§ 1-4-601 — Designation of candidates for primary election - definition

Colorado § 1-4-601

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 01: Elections
• Art.: Elections - Access to Ballot by Candidates

Text

(1) (a)
Assemblies of the major political parties may make assembly designations of
candidates for nomination on the primary election ballot. Except as provided in
subsection (1)(b) of this section, an assembly shall be held no later than seventy-three days preceding the primary election.

(b) Repealed.

(1.5) To be named as a candidate for designation by assembly, a person must
provide notice in writing as follows no less than thirty days before the assembly,
unless otherwise provided by party rules:

(a) A person seeking designation by a county assembly must provide notice
to the county chair;

(b) A person seeking designation by a multicounty district assembly must
provide notice to the multicounty district chair and the state chair;

(c) A person seeking designation by a single-county district assembly that is
not a county assembly must provide notice to the single-county district chair; and

(d) A person seeking designation by the state assembly must provide notice
to the state chair.

(2) (a) An assembly must take no more than two ballots for party candidates
for each office to be filled at the next general election. Every candidate receiving
thirty percent or more of the votes of all duly accredited assembly delegates who
are present and voting on that office must be certified by affidavit of the presiding
officer and secretary of the assembly. If no candidate receives thirty percent or
more of the votes of all duly accredited assembly delegates who are present and
voting, a second ballot must be cast on all the candidates for that office. If on the
second ballot no candidate receives thirty percent or more of the votes cast, the
two candidates receiving the highest number of votes must be certified as
candidates for that office by the assembly. The certificate of designation by
assembly must state the name of the office for which each person is a candidate
and the candidate's name and address, must designate in not more than three
words the name of the political party which the candidate represents, and must
certify that the candidate has been a member of the political party for the period of
time required by party rule or by subsection (4) of this section if the party has no
such rule. The candidate's affiliation, as shown in the statewide voter registration
system, is prima facie evidence of political party membership. The certificate of
designation must indicate the order of the vote received at the assembly by
candidates for each office, but no assembly shall declare that any one candidate
has received the nomination of the assembly. The certificate of designation must be
filed in accordance with section 1-4-604. If two or more candidates receiving
designation under this subsection (2) have received an equal number of votes, the
order of certification of designation is determined by lot by the candidates. The
assembly shall select a vacancy committee for vacancies in designation or
nomination only.

(b) Repealed.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, a delegate may participate
in the assembly remotely, including casting the delegate's vote by email, mail,
telephone, or through an internet-based application if allowed by the party's rules.

(3) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (3), no later
than four days after the adjournment of the assembly, each candidate designated
by assembly shall file a written acceptance with the officer with whom the
certificate of designation is filed. This acceptance may be transmitted by facsimile
transmission. If the acceptance is transmitted by facsimile transmission, the
original acceptance must also be filed and postmarked no later than ten days after
the adjournment of the assembly. The acceptance shall state the candidate's name
in the form in which it is to appear on the ballot. The name may include one
nickname, if the candidate regularly uses the nickname and the nickname does not
include any part of a political party name. If an acceptance is not filed within the
specified time, the candidate shall be deemed to have declined the designation;
except that the candidate shall not be deemed to have declined the designation
and shall be included on the primary ballot if late filing of an acceptance is caused
by the failure to timely file a certificate of designation or the failure to file such
acceptance with such certificate of designation, as required by section 1-4-604
(1)(a).

(b) The written acceptance of a candidate nominated by assembly for any
national or state office or for member of the general assembly, district attorney, or
district office greater than a county office shall be filed by the presiding officer or
secretary of such assembly with the certificate of designation of such assembly, as
required by section 1-4-604 (1)(a). Nothing in this paragraph (b) shall prohibit a
candidate from filing an acceptance of nomination directly with the officer with
whom the certificate of designation is filed following written notice of such filing by
the candidate to the presiding officer of the political party holding such assembly.

(4) (a) No person is eligible for designation by assembly as a candidate for
nomination at any primary election unless the person was affiliated with the
political party holding the assembly, as shown in the statewide voter registration
system, no later than the first business day of the January immediately preceding
the primary election, unless otherwise provided by party rules.

(b) Repealed.

(5) As used in this section, political party means a major political party as
defined in section 1-1-104 (22).

Legislative History

Source: L. 80: Entire article R&RE, p. 326, � 1, effective January 1, 1981. L. 81: (1) and (3) amended, p. 310, � 1, effective March 27. L. 83: (2) amended, p. 352, � 16, effective July 1. L. 87: (2) amended, p. 286, � 8, effective June 26. L. 88: (4) amended, p. 294, � 3, effective May 29. L. 89: (4)(b) repealed, p. 314, � 3, effective April 12; (1) and (2) amended, p. 302, � 7, effective May 9. L. 92: Entire part amended, p. 678, � 6, effective January 1, 1993. L. 94: (4)(a) amended, p. 1153, � 13, effective July 1. L. 98: (5) added, p. 257, � 7, effective April 13. L. 99: (3) amended, p. 285, � 1, effective April 13; (1) and (3) amended, p. 762, � 20, effective May 20; (2) amended, p. 160, � 9, effective August 4. L. 2005: (1) amended, p. 1398, � 14, effective June 6; (1) amended, p. 1433, � 14, effective June 6. L. 2010: (2) and (4)(a) amended, (HB 10-1271), ch. 324, p. 1502, � 3, effective May 27. L. 2011: (1) amended, (SB 11-189), ch. 243, p. 1063, � 7, effective May 27. L. 2012: (3)(a) amended, (HB 12-1292), ch. 181, p. 679, � 11, effective May 17. L. 2016: (2) and (4)(a) amended, (SB 16-142), ch. 173, p. 575, � 28, effective May 18. L. 2020: (1) and (2) amended, (HB 20-1359), ch. 23, p. 83, � 3, effective March 16. L. 2021: (1.5) and (2)(c) added, (SB 21-250), ch. 282, p. 1639, � 15, effective June 21. L. 2023: IP(1.5), (1.5)(b), and (1.5)(c) amended and (1.5)(d) added, (SB 23-276), ch. 399, p. 2377, � 11, effective June 6.