Signed by Governor Jared Polis

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that requires that members of the general assembly appointed through a vacancy committee serve no more than one year before running for election before the electorate in Colorado.

Highlights:

• Requires, for the selection of a vacancy committee, that the State Senatorial or Representative Central Committee select, at minimum, the members of the Senatorial or Representative Central Committee and any County Commissioners who are a member of the political party and who reside within the district of the vacant seat (Sec. 2).

• Requires the state to reimburse counties for 45% of the costs incurred in conducting a major political party vacancy election in odd-years when the state has not certified any other statewide ballot content (Sec. 3).

• Requires vacancies of a seat that belonged to a member of a major political party to be filled by a vacancy committee until the next general election, when the vacancy must be filled by election (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that if a vacancy occurs on or after July 31 of an even-numbered year, and within 90 days of the remainder of the term, then the vacancy must be filled by committee until the next odd-numbered year coordinated election, when the vacancy must be filled by a vacancy election (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that the only candidates who may run in a major political party vacancy election are those who are members of the same political party and district represented by the former member whose seat is vacant (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that the only voters who may vote in the major political party vacancy election are those who are unaffiliated or are members of the same political party and residents of the same district as the former member whose seat is vacant (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires that members of the general assembly appointed through a vacancy committee serve no more than one year before running for election before the electorate in Colorado.

Highlights:

• Requires, for the selection of a vacancy committee, that the State Senatorial or Representative Central Committee select, at minimum, the members of the Senatorial or Representative Central Committee and any County Commissioners who are a member of the political party and who reside within the district of the vacant seat (Sec. 2).

• Requires the state to reimburse counties for 45% of the costs incurred in conducting a major political party vacancy election in odd-years when the state has not certified any other statewide ballot content (Sec. 3).

• Requires vacancies of a seat that belonged to a member of a major political party to be filled by a vacancy committee until the next general election, when the vacancy must be filled by election (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that if a vacancy occurs on or after July 31 of an even-numbered year, and within 90 days of the remainder of the term, then the vacancy must be filled by committee until the next odd-numbered year coordinated election, when the vacancy must be filled by a vacancy election (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that the only candidates who may run in a major political party vacancy election are those who are members of the same political party and district represented by the former member whose seat is vacant (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that the only voters who may vote in the major political party vacancy election are those who are unaffiliated or are members of the same political party and residents of the same district as the former member whose seat is vacant (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text