Colorado lawmakers approved a host of changes to the state’s election system with the passage of Senate Bill 276 on Saturday. 

The near-annual election “clean up” bill is drafted in coordination with the Secretary of State’s Office, county clerks and other stakeholders. This year, the bill seeks to make several changes, including expanding voting access on tribal lands and establishing personal income disclosures for political candidates. 

The House passed SB 276 in a 44-19 vote, following the Senate’s 29-6 passage last month. The bill will next go back to the Senate to approve changes made by the House, and then to the governor for final consideration. 

“Colorado’s elections are the envy of the country, but there are always adjustments and improvements we can implement to make our election system even better,” said bill sponsor Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder. “This bill will build confidence and ensure Colorado remains at the forefront when it comes to holding free and fair elections.” 

One of the most significant components of the bill seeks to improve voting access for Native American tribes. 

If passed, the bill would expand the state’s automatic voter registration system to include tribal membership lists — making Colorado the first state in the country to do so, Fenberg said. It would also increase the number of in-person voting sites on tribal lands before and on Election Day. 

Another major portion of the bill would require candidates and elected officials to report their income, in addition to the existing requirement that they reveal their sources of income. This is already mandated for members of the U.S. Congress. 

The personal finance information would be publicly available online, and the bill would clarify enforcement and require candidates and elected officials who are consultants to provide a list of people who are contracting with them. 

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SB 276 also seeks to improve timeliness in ballot counting by requiring clerks to begin counting ballots at least four days before an election for counties with more than 10,000 electors. Currently, counties can start counting ballots as early as 15 days before an election, but it’s not mandated. 

During the floor vote on the bill, critics did not raise issue with what the bill would do, but instead what it wouldn’t do.

Republican lawmakers brought forward several failed amendments they said would have helped small rural counties that have less staff and funding to administer elections. The rejected amendments included allowing those counties to have less than three voting service and polling centers, and to not use signature verification machines in certain circumstances. 

“I wish we could get to a point in this chamber where we could find that space where you could respect the wishes of our constituents,” said Rep. Ty Winter, R-Trinidad, who voted against the bill. “There needs to be a place where we can come together, put partisan politics aside, and try to do what’s best for rural counties.” 

Though the bill had bipartisan support in the Senate, only Republicans voted against the bill in both chambers. 

In the House, lawmakers approved one Republican-backed amendment to the bill that specifies that county clerks can establish voting drop boxes at places of worship, which they already can do. 

Other notable changes the bill would make include increasing state reimbursements of county funds spent on elections; increasing voter service centers on private college campuses and in jails; allowing the use of digital IDs to vote; and, requiring clerks to update information about cured ballots every 24 hours. 

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