Starting in November, Colorado voters will get an extra week to receive and return their mail-in ballots under new legislation signed by Gov. Jared Polis that also takes steps to insulate the state from federal interference.
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Under House Bill 1113, election officials can begin mailing ballots 29 days before an election, and drop boxes must accept ballots for 22 days before Election Day, each an increase of seven days. The bill, which Polis signed Monday, also gives the governor the authority to declare an emergency when the state cannot “strictly comply” with its own election code.
And it establishes a committee that could be convened in such an emergency to help draft new rules “to ensure the proper administration of an election.”
The measure comes amid mounting worries that President Donald Trump — who has castigated mail-in ballots and the country’s election system in general — may attempt to interfere with the November midterm elections. Last week, the U.S. Postal Service proposed requiring states to turn over lists of voters who received mail-in ballots, according to Reuters.
In March, Trump signed an executive order to create a nationwide list of verified eligible voters and to restrict mail-in voting.
“Coloradans deserve to cast their ballot without barriers, and this new law safeguards against federal interference in our elections and makes it easier to vote,” Rep. Emily Sirota, a Denver Democrat who sponsored the bill, said in a statement. “Whether you’re voting in-person, using a drop box or mailing in your ballot, this law aims to make voting more accessible to every voter.”
The new law won’t affect this year’s June 30 primaries. County clerks are set to begin mailing ballots for that election to voters beginning Monday.
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As HB-1113 made its way through the Capitol, it was passed along party lines, with Republicans all voting against the measure.
Through the changes made in the new law, Colorado’s governor — either Polis or his successor — could declare a disaster in response to election problems “from any natural cause or cause of human origin,” according to the bill. The expanded definition of disaster will be repealed in 2031 under the law.
The measure also prohibits election officials in the state from providing election records and similar material to anyone who isn’t authorized to receive them. Colleges and universities in the state will be required to send their students more information about voting, including the hours of operation for polling locations and where ballots can be dropped off.
HB-1113 includes language that would block a candidate from appearing on the ballot if they’re seeking a term that goes beyond their office’s limits — like a third presidential term.
“It is more important than ever to fortify our elections from Trump’s federal interference,” Secretary of State Jena Griswold, the state’s highest-ranking election official, said in a statement. “With this new law, we will send out ballots and open drop boxes earlier, strengthen the prohibition of voter interference, and prohibit any candidate seeking a third term of the Presidency from appearing on Colorado ballot.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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