Code of Colorado Regulations
1505 - Department of State
1505 - Secretary of State
8 CCR 1505-1 - ELECTIONS
19 - Certification and Education of Designated Election Officials
Universal Citation: 8 CO Code Regs 1505-1 ยง 19
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 5, March 10, 2024
19.1 Purpose and Definitions
19.1.1 The Secretary of State recognizes that
the oversight of elections is a profession that requires thorough knowledge of
complex state and federal election law and election procedures. Considering the
complexity of state and federal law, voting equipment, and election procedures,
extensive training is necessary. The certification program standardizes
election procedures and education. The program also promotes Colorado voters'
confidence in their election officials and the election process.
19.1.2 "Local election official" means a
county clerk. (Section
1-1-301(1),
C.R.S.)
19.1.3 "Persons required to
complete certification" means:
(a) The county
clerk;
(b) Employees in the county
clerk's office who are directly responsible for overseeing election activities,
including but not limited to: voter registration, candidate qualifications and
ballot certification, poll worker training, ballot design and setup, ballot
counting, and canvassing;
(c) Other
employees in the county clerk and recorder's office at the discretion of the
clerk;
(d) A designated election
official for a county and a coordinated election official for a county;
and
(e) Employees in the Elections
Division of the Department of State at the discretion of the Secretary of
State.
19.2 Advisory Board
19.2.1 The advisory board
meets either in person or through electronic means at least twice each calendar
year to approve the curriculum and make necessary changes.
19.2.2 The advisory board must recommend
changes to the certification program or additional classes after reviewing
evaluations, attendance numbers, and online trainings.
19.2.3 The Secretary of State will appoint
the following as board members:
(a) Four
county clerks or designated staff members;
(b) Two Secretary of State Office
representatives; and
(c) Any
individual whom the Secretary of State believes could make a valuable
contribution to the board.
19.2.4 Board members serve at least a
two-year term.
19.2.5 The Secretary
of State may terminate board members without cause. Failure to attend meetings
or meaningfully contribute may result in termination.
19.3 Curriculum
19.3.1 The Secretary of State will develop
the core and elective curriculum offered for certification and continuing
elections education. The Secretary will post curriculum information on the
Secretary of State's website.
19.3.2 The Secretary of State will develop
and administer all training outlined in this Rule 19.
19.3.3 To obtain Colorado certification, a
person must complete the following minimum curriculum prescribed by the
Secretary of State:
(a) Seven basic core
courses;
(b) One core course
relevant to primary job duty; and
(c) Six electives.
19.3.4 To maintain Colorado certification, a
person must complete at least four Continuing Elections Education courses by
July 31 of every year and complete at least one in-person class every two
years.
19.4 Training Format
19.4.1 Web-based training may be
conducted live or by reviewing material previously presented by the Secretary
of State. In either case, participants must achieve a satisfactory score on
assessments before receiving credit for the course.
19.4.2 The Secretary of State will provide
classroom training. For certification, a person must complete at least one
course in-person.
19.5 Credit
19.5.1 Individuals applying for
certification must successfully complete the curriculum prescribed by the
Secretary of State. If an applicant submits duplicate coursework, the Secretary
of State may reject the application for certification.
19.5.2 Training assessment
(a) To receive certification credit for any
course presented by the Secretary of State under this Rule, a participant must
successfully complete a training assessment with a minimum score of
85%.
(b) A participant who fails to
achieve a score of at least 85% may retake the assessment.
(c) The Secretary of State may administer
either paper or electronic assessments.
19.5.3 Credit for Teaching Classes. A person
who teaches or substantially assists with preparation of a class offered for
certification is excused from the assessment requirement outlined in Rule
19.5.2 and will receive credit for the course.
19.5.4 No election official may receive
credit toward his or her Colorado certification for training offered by other
agencies or organizations.
19.6 Application Review, Certification, and Maintenance of Records
19.6.1 When a person
completes the required coursework, he or she must promptly submit an
application for certification to the Secretary of State's office on the form
approved by the Secretary of State.
19.6.2 The Secretary of State must review the
application with reference to the Secretary of State records. If the
application is complete and accurate, the Secretary of State must issue a
certificate that the person is a Certified Colorado Election
Official.
19.6.3 The Secretary of
State must track attendance at all classes and keep records of attendance,
continuing elections education, and records of those persons who are certified
and persons who are in the certification process.
19.6.4 A person is recertified when they
complete the classes required under Rule 19.3.4.
19.7 Decertification. A person who fails to satisfy continuing education requirements will lose certification.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Colorado may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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