Secretary of State's Office Enacts Emergency Rules for Conducting Elections During COVID-19

Denver, May 9, 2020 – Due to the COVID-19 national health crisis, the Colorado Secretary of State's Office, in conjunction with county clerks, has enacted a series of temporary emergency rules that outline the procedures for conducting elections during the pandemic. The rules address many aspects of the election process in order to protect voters, elections judges, and staff. They are effective immediately and will be applied to the June 30 State Primary.

"The current national health crisis has caused all of us to re-examine our election processes," said Secretary of State Jena Griswold. "These new temporary rules provide essential guidelines so voters can be confident that, regardless of the circumstances, they can cast a ballot as safely as possible. I would like to thank our Elections Division for their leadership on this issue and the county clerks for their assistance in providing feedback on these rules."

The new rules (Rule 27, Conducting Elections During Public Health Emergency) state that counties must follow guidelines from the Colorado Department of Health, the Governor's Office, and local health officials. The rules outline the procedure for receiving and processing ballots, social distancing, and Personal Protective Equipment.

Voting equipment and voting booths are to be cleaned after each use and social distancing guidelines will be enforced.

All rules are subject to change as conditions dictate. The Secretary of State's Office will also issue further guidance in the coming weeks.

For the complete rules, please click here.

For more information on Colorado's elections, please visit www.sos.state.co.us.