Senate adopts bill creating Colorado Voting Rights Act after floor debate

DENVER — On March 31, 2025, the Colorado Senate passed Senate Bill 1, a measure described by its sponsor as the Colorado Voting Rights Act, after extended floor debate about election administration and trust between the Secretary of State’s office and county clerks.

Senator Gonzales moved final passage of Senate Bill 1. "This bill ensures that Colorado voters can vote free from discrimination," Gonzales said on the floor, saying the bill “codifies the existing protections that have been eroded from the 1965 Voting Rights Act." The motion for final passage carried with a recorded vote of 22 ayes, 12 noes, 0 absent and 1 excused; Senate Bill 1 was adopted.

The bill drew sustained opposition on the floor from senators who said it does not adequately reflect or incorporate suggestions from county clerks, who administer elections in the state. Senator Frizzell said the Secretary of State’s office had a pattern of missteps that had eroded trust and that clerks’ recommended changes were not incorporated into the bill. "When you have a state elected official who essentially undermines their efforts, undermines their good work over and over and over again ... that's a problem," Frizzell said.

Former county clerks and other senators warned that operational details matter. Senator Rich, a former county clerk, said the chamber frequently legislates on elections without operational experience and urged careful attention to impacts on local administrators. Senator Pelton B. and others said they supported increased voter participation but worried about unfunded mandates and potential legal issues for home-rule municipalities.

Senator Gonzales and other proponents said the bill targets election practices that create participation disparities for communities of color and other protected groups. "This bill prohibits election practices that create disparities in participation," Gonzales said, framing the measure as protecting voting access.

The debate included multiple references to recent operational problems cited by opponents, including a past disclosure of election equipment passwords and outreach errors that generated confusion for voters. Opponents said those incidents underscored the need for better coordination with clerks and more attention to implementation; proponents said the bill strengthens legal protections against discriminatory practices.

The Senate recorded 22 ayes and 12 noes; the bill was later taken up again on reconsideration and the motion for reconsideration was adopted before final passage later in the day with the same recorded tally.

The measure creates a state-level voting-rights framework; the bill text also references federal law and the 1965 Voting Rights Act in its legislative findings.

Votes on the bill were taken on the Senate floor and were recorded as noted. Further technical provisions and any implementing rules will be subject to follow-up in committee and in subsequent rulemaking or administrative guidance.

Senators who spoke on the floor about the bill included Senator Gonzales (sponsor), Senator Frizzell, Senator Rich, Senator Pelton B., Senator Carson and Majority Leader Rodriguez.