On Friday Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed HB 1303 into law. The law expands voting opportunities by extending same-day registration and online registration through Election Day, and adding mail-in ballots. The law also modernizes elections by improving roll and record changes and removing the “inactive-failed to vote” category.
As part of the bill’s coalition, the state conference and Colorado local branches mobilized the community and members to encourage their representatives to pass the legislation. In response to the bill signing, the NAACP and Colorado NAACP State Conference released the following statement regarding the new laws.
Rosemary Harris Lytle, President, Colorado/Montana/Wyoming NAACP State Conference:
“This new law beats back the efforts at voter suppression that have for so long threatened voter integrity in our state,” Lytle said. “Our state conference leaders, local branch leadership and coalition partners should all be applauded. Together we helped ensure that democracy will work in Colorado.”
Jotaka Eaddy, Senior Director, NAACP Voting Rights Initiative:
“This is becoming a banner year for laws designed to improve elections and expand voting rights,” said Eaddy. “Despite this growing momentum to expand voting rights, there is still an aggressive attack on voting rights in our nation.
“It is vital that we continue the important work of fighting voter suppression and working to expand access to the ballot box for all citizens.”
Colorado joins eleven states and the District of Columbia in passing same-day registration laws. It is the second state to pass it this year. In all, more than 200 bills have been introduced to expand and protect the vote in 2013. Approximately eight of those bills have been passed.
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