(1) The municipal clerk shall conduct a recount of the votes cast in any election if it appears, as evidenced by the survey of returns, that the difference between the highest number of votes cast in the election and the next highest number of votes cast in the election is less than or equal to one-half of one percent of the highest number of votes cast in the election. Any recount conducted pursuant to this subsection (1) shall be completed no later than the fifteenth day following the election and shall be paid for by the governing body. The clerk shall give notice of the recount to all candidates and, in the case of a ballot issue or question, to any petition representatives identified pursuant to sections 31-2-221 (1), 31-4-502 (1)(a)(I), and 31-11-106 (2) that are affected by the result of the election. Such notice shall be given by certified mail, by posting such notice in three public places within the municipal limits, or by other means reasonably expected to notify the affected candidates or petition representatives. Any affected candidate or petition representative is allowed to be present during and observe the recount.
Whenever a recount of the votes cast in an election is not required pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, any interested party, including a candidate for office or the petition representatives for a ballot issue or question, may submit to the clerk a written request for a recount at the expense of the interested party making the request. This request shall be filed with the clerk within ten days after the election. Before conducting the recount, the clerk shall give notice of the recount in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, shall determine the cost of the recount, shall notify the interested party that requested the recount of such cost, and shall collect the cost of conducting the recount from such interested party. The interested party that requested the recount shall pay on demand the cost of the recount to the clerk. The funds paid to the clerk for the recount shall be placed in escrow for payment of all expenses incurred in the recount. If, after the recount, the result of the election is reversed in favor of the interested party that requested the recount or if the amended election count is such that a recount otherwise would have been required pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the payment for expenses shall be refunded to the interested party who paid them. Any recount of votes conducted pursuant to this subsection (2) shall be completed no later than the fifteenth day after the election.
The clerk shall be responsible for conducting the recount and shall be assisted bythose persons who assisted in preparing the official abstract of votes. If the person cannot participate in the recount, another person shall be appointed as provided in section 31-10-1201. The clerk may appoint additional persons qualified to be the election judges who did not serve as judges in the election as assistants in conducting the recount. Persons assisting in the conduct of the recount shall be compensated as provided in section 31-10-1206.
The clerk may require the production of any documentary evidence regarding thelegality of any vote cast or counted and may correct the survey of returns in accordance with the clerk's findings based on the evidence presented.
In precincts using paper or electronic ballots, the recounts shall be of the ballots cast,and the votes shall be tallied on sheets other than those used at the election. In precincts using voting machines, the recount shall be of the votes tabulated on the voting machines, and separate tally sheets shall be used for each machine.
After a recount conducted pursuant to this section has been completed, the clerk shallnotify the governing body of the results of the recount, shall make a certificate of election for each candidate who received the highest number of votes for an office for which a recount was conducted, and shall deliver the certificate to such candidate.
Source: L. 93: Entire section added, p. 1712, § 18, effective July 1. L. 2000: (1) and (2) amended and (6) added, p. 797, § 19, effective August 2. L. 2015: (1) and (2) amended, (HB 151130), ch. 230, p. 857, § 11, effective August 5.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 15-1130, see section 1 of chapter 230, Session Laws of Colorado 2015.