(1) For the purposes of this section, a vacancy is caused by the declination, death, disqualification, or withdrawal of the person nominated at the primary election.
A vacancy in a party nomination occurring from the day after the primary electionthrough the earliest day to mail general election ballots may be filled by the respective party assembly vacancy committee of the district, county, or state, depending upon the office for which the vacancy in nomination has occurred. The party assembly vacancy committee must be appointed by the party in accordance with party rules.
(a) No vacancy committee called to fill a vacancy pursuant to this section may select a person to fill a vacancy at a meeting held for that purpose unless a written notice announcing the time and location of the vacancy committee meeting was mailed to each of the committee members within five calendar days of the chairperson of the central committee learning of the vacancy. Mailing of the notice is effective when the notice is properly addressed and deposited in the United States mail, with first-class postage prepaid. In addition to the mailing, the chairperson of the central committee may also contact committee members by electronic mail.
(b) (I) No vacancy committee meeting shall be held until a quorum is present consisting of not less than one-half of the voting membership of the vacancy committee.
The vacancy committee, by a majority vote of its members present and voting at ameeting called for that purpose, shall select a person who meets all of the requirements of candidacy as of the date of the primary election and who is affiliated with the same political party or minor political party, if any, shown in the statewide voter registration database as the candidate whose declination, death, disqualification, or withdrawal caused the vacancy.
No member of the vacancy committee may vote by proxy.
If the vacancy committee fails to timely certify a selection, the state chair of theparty of the candidate whose declination, death, disqualification, or withdrawal caused the vacancy, within seven days, shall fill the vacancy by appointing a person who meets all of the requirements of candidacy as of the date of the appointment and who is affiliated with the same political party shown in the statewide voter registration system as the candidate whose declination, death, disqualification, or withdrawal caused the vacancy. The name of the person appointed by the state chair must be certified to the secretary of state. The vacancy is filled until the next general election after the vacancy occurs, when the vacancy is filled by election.
(c) (I) The designation and acceptance of the person selected to fill the vacancy must be submitted to the designated election official no later than three days from either the date of the vacancy committee meeting or from the date of appointment by the state chair pursuant to subsection (3)(b)(IV) of this section, as applicable; except that such certification must in all cases be submitted no later than the sixty-fourth day before the date of the general election.
(II) For purposes of this section, a vacancy is filled when the designated election official receives the certificate of nomination and the written acceptance of the replacement candidate.
No person is eligible for appointment to fill a vacancy in a party designation unlessthat person meets all requirements of candidacy as of the date that the vacancy appointment is made.
If a person designated to fill a vacancy pursuant to this section decides not to fill avacancy, he or she shall in like manner file a certificate setting forth the occurrence of the vacancy, stating they do not intend to fill the vacancy.
(4) (a) When a vacancy in a party nomination is filled pursuant to this section prior to the ballots being printed, the designated election official shall cause the name of the replacement candidate to be printed on the ballot.
(b) When a vacancy in a party nomination is filled pursuant to this section subsequent to the ballots being printed:
(I) The designated election official shall:
Prominently post, on the designated election official's official website and in eachvoter service and polling center, a notice regarding the vacancy and the name of the replacement candidate; and
Either cause to be printed and placed on the sample ballot delivered to the electionjudges and posted pursuant to section 1-5-413 a sticker of a different color than the sample ballot indicating the name of the replacement candidate or reprint the sample ballot with the name of the replacement candidate in a different color; and
(II) Votes cast for the candidate who vacated the nomination must be counted as votes for the replacement candidate.
(5) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, if a political party has established a rule regarding the length of affiliation required for a candidate and a vacancy in that office occurs, then the party rule applies.
Source: L. 2017: Entire part amended with relocated provisions, (SB 17-209), ch. 234, p. 957, § 5, effective August 9. L. 2019: (3)(c)(I) amended, (HB 19-1278), ch. 326, p. 3019, § 25, effective August 2.
Cross references: For the short title ("Colorado Votes Act") in HB 19-1278, see section 1 of chapter 326, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.