Gigi Dennis
Secretary of State

 STATE OF COLORADO
 Department of State
 1700 Broadway
 Suite 250
 Denver, CO  80290

William A. Hobbs
Deputy Secretary of State

Statement of Justification and Reasons for Adoption of Emergency Rules

Office of the Secretary of State
Amended and Revised Rules (Rules: 12.4, 12.12, 13.6, 25, 27.2, and 47)
Colorado Secretary of State Election Rules
As Amended October 10, 2006

Under section 1-1-107(2)(b), C.R.S. (2006), the Secretary of State has the power “[t]o promulgate, publish, and distribute . . . such rules as the secretary of state finds necessary for the proper administration and enforcement of the election laws.”  In addition, section 1-1.5-104(1)(e), C.R.S. (2006), authorizes the Secretary of State to “[p]romulgate rules . . . as the secretary finds necessary for the proper administration, implementation, and enforcement of [the “Help America Vote Act of 2002”, P.L. No. 107-252].”  
Certain amendments to the existing election rules are immediately necessary for the uniform and proper administration and enforcement of the election laws of the State of Colorado during the 2006 election cycle.  These rules are necessary to implement requirements of SB06-062 and to establish uniform procedures for multiple page ballots and fleeing voters in advance of the 2006 general election. 
The Secretary of State finds that in order to ensure the uniform and proper administration and enforcement of the election laws, the adoption of the temporary amendments to the Secretary of State Election Rules is necessary both to comply with law and to preserve the public welfare generally.
Therefore, in accordance with section 24-4-103(6), C.R.S. (2006), the Secretary of State finds that temporary adoption of the amendments and revisions to existing election rules is “imperatively necessary to comply with a state or federal law or federal regulation or for the preservation of public health, safety, or welfare and compliance with the requirements of this section would be contrary to the public interest.”