Press Release - Six Election and Voting Reform Bills Signed
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OFFICE OF GOVERNOR BILL RITTER, JR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2009
CONTACT:
Holly Shrewsbury, 720.320.0097, holly.shrewsbury@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER SIGNS SIX ELECTION AND VOTING REFORM BILLS
Gov. Bill Ritter today signed into law six election reform bills that make significant improvements to Colorado's election rules and ensure that every election conducted in the state is accurate, secure and transparent.
"The very foundation of our democracy relies on safe, secure and transparent elections," Gov. Ritter said. "Voters must have confidence in how we conduct our elections -- that our elections are fair, that every vote matters, and that every vote will be counted accurately and quickly. Together, these bills will lead Colorado forward as we continue to improve and modernize elections across the state."
"I'm confident these innovative, practical solutions will continue to enhance Colorado's election processes and establish a long-term vision for the state," Secretary of State Bernie Buescher said.
House Bill 1326 reforms and restores integrity to the state's ballot-initiative petition process. It was sponsored by House Speaker Terrance Carroll, Senate President Brandon Shaffer and Rep. Lois Court and supported by Secretary of State Bernie Buescher and business and labor leaders.
HB 1326 will strengthen identity requirements; require petition circulators to provide specific forms of I.D. and have the option of enrolling in training provided by the secretary of state's office; strengthen laws against using third-party circulators; and require paid circulators to receive hourly wages or salaries instead of being paid per signature they gather.
"Paid petitioning is ripe for abuse and we must stop that abuse," said Speaker Carroll. "We have seen numerous examples of fraud, from under-aged petitioners to fake addresses to misleading explanations. I am proud that we have found a bi-partisan solution to restoring integrity to citizen petition efforts."
"When citizens work hard to put a measure on the ballot, we want their efforts to be honestly directed," said Senate President Shaffer. "House Bill 1326 will prevent petition fraud, ensure the integrity of our ballot initiatives, and strengthen our direct democracy. We can provide no less for our citizens."
House Bills 1335, 1336 and 1337 are commonly called the "election triplets."
House Bill 1335 was sponsored by Reps. Nancy Todd and Carole Murray and Sen. Suzanne Williams. The measure requires that all new voting equipment be paper-based and that acquisition of electronic voting systems be suspended for a period of five years.
House Bills 1336 and 1337 were sponsored by Reps. Todd and Murray and Sens. Williams and Morgan Carroll. HB 1336 makes it easier for members of "group residential facilities" to vote. The bill also requires the secretary of state to consider best practices in the design and development of election forms to try to eliminate some of the confusion voters have had with previous elections forms.
House Bill 1337 makes several changes to ballot processing deadlines. It gives voters more time to cure a problem with their ballots and helps ensure that voters in any county voting by mail will receive their ballots at about the same time. The bill also allows clerks to start counting ballots earlier, which will save overtime and costs for temporary workers and lead to faster returns on election night.
"With this election reform package, we are a giant leap closer to the sane, accountable and transparent election system that voters deserve and county clerks desire," said Rep. Todd.
"The conduct of elections has become a regular topic for Coloradans," said Rep. Murray. "Our citizens can rest easy knowing that these bills enhance the cause of fair, convenient and cost-effective elections in Colorado."
HB 1160, sponsored by Rep. Joe Miklosi and Sen. Bob Bacon, allows any legal voter with a Colorado driver's license or state identification card to register to vote through the secure Secretary of State's Web site. Colorado will become the third state in the country to establish online voter registration.
"This measure gives Coloradans a convenient way to register to vote, request a mail-in ballot or update their contact information," Gov. Ritter said. "The bi-partisan cooperation reflected in the support of this bill helps to lay a foundation for a long-term vision for election practices in Colorado."
"HB 1160 will empower more citizens of Colorado to participate in their democracy," Rep. Miklosi said. "This bill will particularly help youth, seniors, and members of the disabled community register to vote, request a mail-in ballot, or update their contact information while also providing the necessary safeguards against fraud."
The state's voter registration system already uses information from the Department of Revenue to verify driver's license numbers and identification card numbers. The system will couple the online registration application with the voter's signature on record. Coloradans will be able to register online by April 1.
HB 1015, sponsored by Rep. Murray and Sen. Mary Hodge, allows counties to conduct mail ballot elections for primary elections. It also requires the clerks to take several actions to encourage affiliated and unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections, helping to ease the financial burden that counties bear as a result of their obligation to pay for primary elections.
Click here for a list of 2009 legislative action by Gov. Ritter.