Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, Senator John Hickenlooper Celebrate 10 Years of Vote-by-Mail for all Coloradans

House Bill 13-1303, which legalized vote-by-mail statewide, was signed into law on May 10, 2013

Denver, May 10, 2023 - Today, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Senator John Hickenlooper are celebrating the 10^th anniversary of Vote-by-Mail for All being signed into Colorado law. House Bill 13-1303, the “Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act” was signed by then-Governor Hickenlooper on May 10, 2013, with the intent of strengthening participation in Colorado elections.

This legislation made Colorado the third state in the nation to adopt Vote-by-Mail for All and ushered in a new term of accessibility, convenience, inclusivity, and security in the state's elections.

“Embracing Vote-by-Mail for All transformed Colorado’s democracy. Voting became more accessible and convenient for every eligible voter and Colorado’s election security measures increased,” said Secretary Jena Griswold. “By prioritizing accessibility, convenience, and security, Colorado showed that a strong and healthy democracy that puts the people first is possible. The rest of the country should follow our lead to create a more equitable and resilient democracy for generations to come.”

"When we signed the Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act into law ten years ago, every registered Colorado voter became eligible to receive a mail-in ballot right to their doorstep,” said Senator John Hickenlooper, former Governor of Colorado who signed the legislation. “Our state is an example for the rest of the county, leading the way in secure vote-by-mail elections."

In the decade since the adoption of Vote-by-Mail for All, Colorado has consistently ranked among the states with the highest voter turnout, with participation rates well above the national average. In the 2020 General Election, Colorado ranked second in terms of voter turnout nationally. Vote-by-mail has also made voting more accessible for Coloradans with disabilities, those who live in rural areas, and those who face transportation or work-related barriers to getting to the polls.

In addition to increasing accessibility, vote-by-mail has improved the security of Colorado's elections. Every voter receives a paper ballot, which cannot be hacked, and is able to return their ballot at a time and location of their choosing. Colorado's signature verification process ensures that only votes cast by eligible individuals are counted, and the state's paper-based voting system provides a secure and auditable record of every ballot cast.

Since taking office, Secretary Griswold has championed additional ways to increase election accessibility and security statewide, including by:

• launching statewide systems so that every Colorado voter can track their ballot and fix signature or ID discrepancies with ease;
• increasing mail ballot drop boxes by over 65%;
• passing automatic voter registration reform, which has registered hundreds of thousands of eligible Coloradans to vote;
• establishing a unit within the Department of State focused on protecting Colorado’s elections from cyber-attacks, foreign interference, and disinformation campaigns;
• and guaranteeing drop boxes and voting centers on college campuses and Tribal lands to make it easy for all eligible Coloradans to cast a ballot.

For the full text of Colorado House Bill 13-1303, click here (PDF). To learn more about Colorado’s elections, visit GoVoteColorado.gov. To hear Secretary Griswold speak about the 10th Anniversary of Vote-by-Mail for All in Colorado, click here.