Colorado Voting Rights Act Passes

Legislation would safeguard voting rights in Colorado law amid federal uncertainty

DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Junie Joseph to codify stronger voter protections into Colorado law. SB25-001 passed by a vote of 43-22.

“With courage, conviction and sacrifice, generations of Black Americans fought for the Voting Rights Act, transforming democracy and ensuring equal access to the ballot for Black Americans and other minority groups,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “With voter suppression and voter dilution tactics being used throughout the country, it’s imperative that we act now to protect the constitutional right to vote. This bill makes it clear to Coloradans that, while the federal government continues to chip away at the Voting Rights Act, Colorado Democrats are committed to protecting voting rights.”

“I would not be here today as a member of the Colorado House without the Voting Rights Act, and I’m proudly sponsoring this legislation so future Coloradans like me have the opportunity to engage in the political process,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “Voting is one of the most important ways Coloradans can make their voices heard, and it’s crucial that we ensure voter protections are in place in Colorado in the event that this federal administration rolls them back. I’m proud to carry this bill to expand access to the ballot, especially for tribal members and the LGBTQ+ community, and codify protections for our vulnerable community members.”

In anticipation of efforts to dismantle the national Voting Rights Act of 1986, which prohibits discriminatory election practices, SB25-001 would protect and strengthen the right to vote in Colorado. This bill would codify stronger voter protections, expand access to voting information for historically excluded communities, and prohibit discriminatory election practices, even if federal protections are rolled back.

The bill would expand access to multilingual ballots in certain local elections, protect access for eligible voters confined in local jails, require residential facilities that house people with disabilities to provide nonpartisan voter information, and empower the Attorney General to enforce voting rights. The bill would also prohibit impairing an individual’s right to vote based on their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation and would create a publicly available, statewide database of election information without compromising any personal voter data.

On March 25, President Trump signed an executive order requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship in order to vote. The order also allows federal review of voter registration lists to verify citizenship and withholds funding from states that do not comply. Colorado joined 18 other states to challenge the constitutionality of this executive order. This month, the US House of Representatives passed the SAVE Act that would require in-person proof of citizenship to register to vote, threatening the future of mail voter registration and disenfranchising millions of eligible voters, especially the almost 70 million Americans who have changed their name. This would make it impossible for many Americans who do not have a passport, REAL ID, or access to their birth certificates to vote.

Colorado is a national role model for administering secure, accessible and fair elections. Colorado Democrats have passed legislation to reduce barriers to voting access for Native Americans and Indigenous people, incarcerated Coloradans and college students. In 2021, Colorado Democrats also passed a law to expand minority language ballot access beyond federal requirements.

Colorado has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country and voter registration rates. Over 93-percent of eligible Coloradans are registered to vote, which is nearly 10-percent higher than the national average.