16-year-olds Voting School District Elections

The bill allows a person who is preregistered to vote in school district elections beginning at 16 years of age. A school district election is defined as an election to recall a school district officer or an election called under title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes, including elections for:

• The state board of education;
• School district officers;
• Referred measures to impose or increase mill levies or to raise and expend property taxes;
• Referred measures relating to the organization of or plan of representation for school districts; and
• Referred measures related to the financial obligations and indebtedness of school districts.

A preregistrant's voter information is required to be kept confidential. When a person preregisters, they must receive information concerning their eligibility to vote in school district elections, how to update their preregistration information and obtain and cast a ballot, and their confidential status and actions that could cause their information to become public even while in confidential status.

A preregistrant is automatically registered to vote in all elections upon turning age 18. Individuals committed to juvenile detention facilities must be given information about their right to preregister and vote in school district elections.

A preregistrant can circulate and sign petitions to nominate or recall a school district officer or to initiate an election under title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes. A preregistrant cannot run for office or be appointed to fill a vacancy. If a juvenile is charged with an election offense and no other crime is charged, the juvenile court is prohibited from transferring the charge to a district court.

For any election in which preregistrants are eligible to vote and in which the county clerk and recorder has responsibilities for the election, the state is required to reimburse the county for the direct costs associated with ballots sent to preregistrants. The school district's share of the costs of the election in a cost-sharing agreement must be reduced by the amount of the state's reimbursement.

The bill takes effect on January 1, 2021, and applies to elections conducted on or after that date.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)