High school deputy registrar

Every Colorado high school is required by law to designate a staff member to be trained in Voter Registration.

Yes, it's true. Colorado Election Law (Title 1, Article 2, Part 4, 1-2-402 and 1-2-403) states that every public high school principal needs to appoint a staff person to help citizens register to vote while on school grounds (this person is referred to in statue as a "high school deputy registrar''). This person is trained in voter registration basics by their county clerk's office (PDF). Training varies by county but is typically either a short in-person training (30 minutes), short online video or webinar, or a package of physical materials, such as a training binder, sent to the designated high school staff member. The county clerk maintains a list of local high schools and their appointed high school registration designated staff members (sometimes referred to as a voter registration liaison or deputy registrar) and the Clerk's office acts as a resource for all voter registration questions.

A high school can have more than one designee trained in voter registration. Typical examples of staff members who take on this role include civics, social studies, or similar teachers or high school administrators or guidance counselors.

More information regarding this statute (PDF)

What is the role and responsibility of a high school voter registration designated staff member (deputy registrar)?

The high school staff member designated in voter registration promotes and encourages voter registration or preregistration of all eligible students and school employees by making it available on school grounds when school is open for classes or at other school events, when applicable and possible.

This staff member should be known and promoted at the high school as the "go to" person who helps to register eligible voters by:

• answering questions;
• making the registration paper form available and sharing the online voter registration link, GoVoteColorado.gov;
• checking and validating registration paperwork for accuracy and completeness, as best as possible; and
• forwarding registration paperwork to their local county clerk and recorder's office.

Please note that each designated staff member in charge of voter registration needs to get in touch with their local clerk and recorder's office for training, guidelines, and support materials. It is the county clerk's responsibility to provide materials and training to each high school deputy registrar.