High School Registration
Voter registration begins in high school
Colorado allows and encourages pre-registration of all eligible voters beginning at the age of 16. Additional requirements to register include:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be a Colorado resident for at least 22 days before the election
- Must not be serving a sentence of confinement or detention for a felony conviction (Note: Those on probation or parole are eligible to vote.)
High school deputy registrar
Every Colorado high school is required by law to designate a staff member to be trained in Voter Registration.
Yes, it’s true. Colorado Election Law [1] states that every public high school principal needs to appoint a staff person to help citizens register to vote while on school grounds (this person is the high school deputy registrar). The high school deputy registrar is trained in voter registration basics by their county clerk’s office (PDF).
High school voter registration challenge
In addition to having a designated staff member trained in voter registration, each school can compete for a voter registration award. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office challenges you to get at least 85% of High School Seniors at your school registered to vote!
High school voter registration challenge
Eliza Pickrell Routt award
This award, created in 2016, is named after Eliza Pickrell Routt, the first woman registered to vote in Colorado after the state's passage of women's suffrage in 1893. Eliza Pickrell Routt served as Colorado's first First Lady -- her husband John Routt was elected as Colorado's first governor in 1876. In this role, she dedicated herself to building a structured community.
Student election judge program
The State Legislature enacted legislation that will allow Juniors and Seniors in High School (ages 16 & 17) to work at polling places as Student Election Judges. The Student Judge experience exposes students to grass roots democracy in their community and enables them to earn money for working Election Day.
Student election judge program
[1] | Title 1, Article 2, Part 4, 1-2-402 and 1-2-403