2023 School Director Election Timeline

Timeline with critical dates for school election officials for the November 7, 2023 election. Click here to download a Word version of this timeline.

The following timeline does not contain all the steps in the election process because the county clerk and recorder will conduct most of the election procedures. This timeline will be updated, if necessary, to reflect changes implemented during the 2023 legislative session and/or by the Secretary of State’s office.


All citations are to the Colorado Constitution, Colorado Revised Statutes, or Colorado Code of Regulations.


DATE

ACTION/EVENT

July 2023


July 20, 2023

(110 days before the election)

Resolution to Change Plan of Representation

Last day for the board to adopt a resolution to submit a proposal to change the school district plan of representation. C.R.S. § 22-31-105.

 

July 28, 2023*

(100 days before the election)

Notification to the county clerk

Notify the county clerk in writing by this date that the school district will participate in the coordinated election. The board must take formal action prior to this date to participate in the coordinated election and to designate an election official. C.R.S. §§ 1-1-104(8); 1-1-106(5); 1-7-116(5).

August 2023


August 9, 2023

(no more than 90 days before the election)

Call for nominations

First day for the designated election official to publish a call for nominations for school director election. The call shall state which director offices will be voted upon at the election, where to obtain nomination petitions, the number of signatures required, and the deadline for submitting the nomination petition. C.R.S. § 22-31-107(1.5).

Nomination petitions

First day for nomination petitions to be circulated. No petition shall be circulated prior to this date. C.R.S. §§ 1-4-803(1)(b); 22-31-107(2).


August 24, 2023

(75 days before the election)

Call for nominations

Last day for the designated election official to publish a call for nominations. C.R.S. § 22-31-107(1.5).


August 29, 2023

(70 days before the election)

Intergovernmental agreement

Last day for the school district to sign an intergovernmental agreement with the county clerk to conduct the election in each county in which the school district is located. C.R.S. §§ 1-7-116(2); 22-31-103(2).

  September 2023


September 1, 2023

(67 days before the election)

Nomination petition

Last day for school director candidates to file a nomination petition with circulators’ notarized affidavits, a notarized acceptance of nomination, and written notice of intent to be a candidate. C.R.S. §§ 1-4-803(2); 22-31-107(2).

Candidate audio recording

Last day for a candidate to submit to the county clerk an audio recording of the pronunciation of his or her name exactly as it is provided in the candidate’s statement of intent. 8 CCR 1505-1, Rule 4.6.1.- 2.

Write-in candidates

Last day for school director write-in candidate to file an affidavit of intent to be a candidate. C.R.S. §§ 1-1-106(5); 1-4-1102(2).


September 5, 2023

(63rd day before the election)

Cancellation of the election

The election may be canceled if, at the close of business, there is no contest for any office, including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be a write-in. If instructed by resolution of the board of education, the designated election official may cancel the election and declare candidates to be elected. C.R.S. § 1-5-208(1.5).


September 8, 2023

(60 days before the election)

Ballot order

Last day to establish arrangement of candidates’ names on the ballot by lot. The designated election official shall notify the candidates of the time and place of the lot drawing. C.R.S. § 1-5-406.

Certify ballot content

Last day for the designated election official to certify the content of the ballot to the county clerk. The ballot content shall include the name and office of each candidate and any ballot issue(s) to be voted on. C.R.S. § 1-5-203(3)(a); 8 CCR 1505-1 Rule 4.5.

Online Posting of Candidate Information

Deadline for school districts in which at least 1,000 pupils are enrolled to post, in a “prominent area” on the district’s website, each candidate’s required contact information. The information must be organized in alphabetical order by candidate surname. The district may provide hyperlinks to the Secretary of State’s website, if any of the candidate’s information is posted there. C.R.S. § 22-31-107(2.5).

October 2023


October 18, 2023

(20 days before the election)

Election notice

Last day for the designated election official or coordinated election official to publish notice of election in newspaper and mail a copy of notice to county clerks of counties where the school district is located. C.R.S. §§ 1-5-205(1),(2).

Publication of an election notice by the county clerk satisfies this requirement. C.R.S. § 1-5-205(1.4). Sample ballots may be used if they contain all the information. C.R.S. § 1-5-205(1.3).


October 23, 2023

(15 days before the election)

Board of canvassers

Last day to appoint the board of canvassers, in accordance with the intergovernmental agreement. C.R.S. § 1-10-201(1).

November 2023


November 7, 2023

ELECTION DAY

Polls open at 7 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m. C.R.S. § 1-7-101. If any eligible elector, or member of the eligible elector’s immediate family, is confined in a hospital or place of residence or is unable to vote in person due to emergency conditions arising after the deadlines by which ballots are mailed, then the elector may apply for a replacement ballot before 5 p.m. on Election Day; the replacement ballot must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day. C.R.S. § 1-7.5-115.


November 29, 2023

(22 days after the election)

Survey of returns

Last day for the canvass board to certify to the designated election official the official abstract of votes for the school district. C.R.S. § 1-10-203(1).

If a majority of a canvass board in a county is unable to or does not certify the abstract of votes by this deadline, the secretary of state reviews the non-certified abstract and determines if the abstract is sufficient explicit in showing how many votes were cast, the secretary of state will certify the results for the county. This would cause delays of the remainder of the timeline. C.R.S. 1-10-104(3).

Immediately following the preparation and certification of the final abstract of votes

Certificate of election

Immediately after the final abstract has been prepared and certified, the designated election official shall notify the candidates of their election to office and deliver the certificate of election. C.R.S. § 1-11-103(1).

December 2023


December 8, 2023*

(no later than 10 days after receiving the certificate of election, if abstract received on Nov. 29)

Oath of office

Candidate must take the oath of office no later than 10 days after receiving the certificate of election or the seat shall be deemed vacant. C.R.S. § 22-31-125; 1-1-106(5).


December 14, 2023

(within 15 days after the district receives the official abstract of votes if the abstract was received on Nov. 29)

Organizational meeting

Within 15 days after receiving the official abstract of votes, the school board will hold an officer election and reorganization meeting. C.R.S. § 22-32-104(1).

Promptly following the organizational meeting

Send information to CDE

Send the names, addresses, and length of term of office of each school director and the date of election or appointment of each board officer to the Colorado Department of Education. C.R.S. § 22-32-109(1)(d).


*Date affected by a holiday or weekend.

February 2023
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