Second Regular Session
              Sixty-fourth General Assembly
                    STATE OF COLORADO
                                                 INTRODUCED
                                                           
                                                           
 LLS NO. 04-0687.01 John Hershey         SENATE BILL 04-153
                   SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 Johnson S.,  and Reeves
 
                    HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 McCluskey,  Lundberg, Paccione, and Witwer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Senate Committees
 House Committees
 
 
 State Veterans & Military Affairs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                         A BILL FOR AN ACT
       Concerning combining polling places, and, in connection
            therewith, authorizing designated election officials
            to establish vote centers where any elector
            registered in the political subdivision may vote.
       
       
                           Bill Summary
       
            (Note:  This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
       not necessarily reflect any amendments that may be subsequently
       adopted.)
       
            Authorizes a designated election official to establish one or more
       vote centers for any election.  Defines "vote center" as a polling place at
       which any registered elector in the political subdivision holding the
       election may vote, regardless of the precinct in which the elector resides.
       States that precinct polling places shall not be used in any election for
       which vote centers have been established.
            Allows a designated election official to combine polling places or
       precincts in any election.  Eliminates the requirement that a county clerk
       and recorder get the approval of the board of county commissioners to
       combine precincts for a primary or special legislative election.
            Makes conforming amendments.
       
       
       
       Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
            SECTION 1.  1-1-104, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended
       BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION to read:
            1-1-104.  Definitions.  As used in this code, unless the context
       otherwise requires:
            (49.7)  "Vote center" means a polling place at which any
       registered elector in the political subdivision holding the
       election may vote, regardless of the precinct in which the
       elector resides.
            SECTION 2.  Repeal.  1-5-101 (4), Colorado Revised Statutes,
       is repealed as follows:
            1-5-101.  Establishing precincts and polling places for partisan
       elections.  (4)  Notwithstanding any other requirement under this section,
       subject to approval by the board of county commissioners, county clerk
       and recorders may combine precincts for any primary election or special
       legislative election.  If a county chooses to combine precincts, the county
       shall publish polling place locations as provided in section 1-5-205.
            SECTION 3.  Repeal.  1-5-102.5 (2), Colorado Revised Statutes,
       is repealed as follows:
            1-5-102.5.  Establishing polling places for coordinated elections. 
       (2)  For coordinated elections, the county clerk and recorder may
       combine precincts and polling places.
            SECTION 4.  Part 1 of article 5 of title 1, Colorado Revised
       Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to
       read:
            1-5-102.7.  Combining precincts and polling places - vote
       centers.  (1)  Notwithstanding any provision of section 1-5-101,
       1-5-102, or 1-5-102.5, a designated election official may combine
       polling places or precincts or establish one or more vote
       centers for any election.  A designated election official who
       combines polling places or precincts or establishes a vote
       center shall publish the location of polling places pursuant to
       section 1-5-205.
            (2)  If vote centers are used in an election in a political
       subdivision, precinct polling places shall not be used in the
       election in that political subdivision.
            (3)  If vote centers are used in a general election in a
       county with a population of twenty-five thousand or more
       active registered electors, there shall be at least one vote
       center for every ten thousand active registered electors;
       except that the secretary of state may waive this requirement
       for a county before the election at the request of the county
       clerk and recorder.
            SECTION 5.  1-6-111 (6), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended
       to read:
            1-6-111.  Number of election judges.  (6)  For any election in
       which the precincts and polling places or precincts are combined or
       vote centers are established in accordance with section 1-5-102.5
       section 1-5-102.7, the county clerk and recorder or the designated
       election official may assign one set of election judges to perform the
       functions of for all precincts and polling places so combined or for
       each vote center.
            SECTION 6.  Safety clause.  The general assembly hereby finds,
       determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
       preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.