Colorado Senate gives preliminary approval to Voting Rights Act, which mirrors federal law
A sign directs Election Day voters to the ballot drop box and polling center at the La Familia Recreation Center in Denver Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)
The Colorado Senate gave preliminary approval Friday to a bill intended to codify in Colorado certain anti-discrimination provisions of the federal Voting Rights Act.
Senate Bill 25-1 would mirror the VRA to 'prohibit election practices that create disparities in participation for communities of color and other protected groups,' Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat, said. The Colorado Voting Rights Act also includes protections for LGBTQ+ voters, expands multilingual ballot access, and requires accommodations for people with disabilities at residential facilities. The attorney general's office will be able to enforce the act so Colorado voters don't need to depend on the federal government to enforce the VRA.
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Gonzales sponsored the bill in the Senate, where it will need to pass one more vote before it goes to the Colorado House of Representatives for further debate. House sponsors are Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat, and Rep. Junie Joseph, a Boulder Democrat. Democrats hold strong majorities in both chambers.
Gonzales introduced several clarifying amendments, one of which says that if a voter files a complaint about a violation in a county other than the one where they reside, the Denver District Court would adjudicate the matter.
Over an hour of debate was spent on Republican amendments to the bill to require the secretary of state to notify county clerks, the governor and the attorney general of any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive election information, such as voting machine passwords.
Before the 2024 election, a worksheet containing election equipment passwords was inadvertently posted to the Colorado secretary of state's website. While county clerks said that election security in the state remained strong following the breach, many were upset that Griswold did not inform them about the breach until after the Colorado Republican Party learned about and announced it.
The Senate adopted a version of the amendment that requires written notification within seven days of discovery of any such breach, after a proposal to require immediate notification was withdrawn. If a breach occurs within three weeks of an election, the secretary of state must send notice within 48 hours.
Another amendment the Senate approved, introduced by Minority Leader Paul Lundeen of Monument, requires a process to ensure voters who cannot vote in person in primary elections — such as military personnel who are overseas — can still participate. Gonzales supported the amendment.
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