§ 1-7-101 — Hours of voting on election day

Colorado § 1-7-101

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 01: Elections
• Art.: Conduct of Elections

Text

(1) (a) All polling locations must be
open continuously from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on election day. If a full set of election
judges is not present at the hour of 7 a.m. and it is necessary for judges to be
appointed to conduct the election as provided in section 1-6-113, the election may
commence when two judges who are not of the same political affiliation for partisan
elections are present at any hour before the time for closing the polling locations.
The polling locations shall remain open after 7 p.m. until every eligible elector who
was at the polling location at or before 7 p.m. has been allowed to vote. Except as
provided in subsection (1)(b) of this section, any person arriving after 7 p.m. is not
entitled to vote.

(b) (I) Any person may petition the district court for the county in which a
polling location is located for an order requiring a polling location to remain open
after 7 p.m. on election day. The district court shall grant the petition upon a finding
that access to or voting at the polling location has been substantially impaired due
to inclement weather, equipment failure, technological problems, voter suppression
activities, a shortage of supplies, or other exigent circumstance.

(II) If the condition impairing voting at or access to polling locations affects
polling locations in more than one county, any person may petition the district court
of the city and county of Denver for an order requiring the secretary of state to
order all polling locations in all affected counties to remain open after 7 p.m. on
election day. The district court shall grant the petition upon a finding that access to
or voting at one or more polling locations in the affected counties has been
substantially impaired due to inclement weather, equipment failure, technological
problems, voter suppression activities, a shortage of supplies, or other exigent
circumstance.

(III) If an order is issued in accordance with this subsection (1)(b), every
eligible elector who was at a polling location affected by the order at or before the
closing time specified in the order shall be allowed to vote. The court shall not
order polling locations to remain open for more than an additional six hours.

(1.5) Each drop box must be open until 7 p.m. on election day. Each drop box
must remain open after 7 p.m. until every eligible elector who was in line at the drop
box at or before 7 p.m. has been allowed to deposit all ballots the person brought in
the drop box, subject to the limitation set forth in section 1-7.5-107 (4)(b)(I)(B).

(2) Upon the opening of the polls, a proclamation shall be made by one of the
judges that the polls are open, and, thirty minutes before the closing of the polls, a
proclamation shall be made that the polls will close in thirty minutes.

Legislative History

Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 731, � 9, effective January 1, 1993. L. 98: (1) amended, p. 583, � 17, effective April 30. L. 2013: (1) amended, (HB 13-1303), ch. 185, p. 718, � 59, effective May 10. L. 2019: (1) amended, (HB 19-1278), ch. 326, p. 3027, � 35, effective August 2. L. 2021: (1.5) added, (SB 21-250), ch. 282, p. 1647, � 32, effective June 21.