This bill modifies Colorado election law regarding the selection of election watchers by candidates and political parties.
Section 2 gives candidates nominated by a participating political party in a general or congressional vacancy election the option to choose watchers for central count facilities, overriding the party’s selections for those facilities.
If a candidate exercises this right, the political party must comply and cannot appoint additional watchers at the central count facilities, though it retains its right to appoint watchers during signature verification and at polling centers.
Section 3 extends these watcher selection provisions to recounts for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and state or district offices.
Section 1 updates the definition of "watcher" to reflect these changes.
Summary
Section 2 of the bill modifies current law to authorize, but not
require, a candidate nominated to be on the ballot by a participating political party (candidate-nominee) in a general or congressional vacancy election to choose the watchers permitted in each central count facility. These watchers must be selected by the candidate-nominee in accordance with existing processes and limitations for such watchers.
If a candidate-nominee exercises their authority to choose the
watchers in each central count facility, then the participating political party represented by the candidate-nominee must abide by the candidate-nominee's choices and is not entitled to different or additional watchers at the count facilities. The participating political party remains entitled to watchers of its choice during signature verification and at each voter service and polling center in accordance with current law. Section 3 requires that the same provisions for watchers at general
and congressional vacancy elections, as modified by section 2, be applied to any recount for a United States senator, representative in congress, and any state office or district office of state concern. Section 1 makes a conforming amendment to the definition of
watcher.
