Bill Commons

CO HB 1203

died on adjournment

Modification of County Commissioner Elections

Colorado · 2026 Regular Session · lower

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Quick answers

Did CO HB 1203 pass?

No. CO HB 1203 died when the 2026 Regular Session adjourned without final action on it. Bills that die this way are sometimes reintroduced in a later session. Latest recorded action (2026-02-11): Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

What is CO HB 1203 about?

Currently, in a county with a population of 70,000 or more (covered county) , the board of county commissioners (board) may consist of 3 or 5 commissioners. If the board consists of 3 commissioners, the county is divided into 3 districts, with one commissioner elected from each district by voters in the district or voters of the whole county. Alternatively, the board may consist of 5 commissioners, in which case the county may be divided into 3 or 5 districts, and the commissioners may be elected pursuant to numerous methods, including by district, at large, or by some combination of both methods.     The bill eliminates modifies this discretionary system and instead requires any county with a population of 70,000 or more ( so that if a covered county ) to elect has 3 commissioners, the commissioners must be elected by district only by voters resident in those districts. If a covered county has 5 commissioners , the commissioners must be elected by one of the following 2 alternative methods of election :5 commissioners resident in 5 districts elected only by voters resident in those districts (by-district method) ; or 5 3 commissioners elected by district only by voters in those districts and 2 commissioners elected at large using a ranked voting method by voters of the whole county (combination method) .      The board of a covered county that has 3 commissioners must refer a resolution to the electors of the county at the general election during each decennial census year to ask the electors whether they would like to increase the board to 5 commissioners and, if so, which of the two alternative methods of election they prefer for electing those 5 commissioners.      The board of a covered county that has 5 commissioners is required to adopt a resolution designating the 2 alternative methods of electing the 5 county commissioners no later than its first regularly scheduled meeting in the calendar year 2027 . or its first regularly scheduled meeting in the month following becoming a covered county. The board is required to refer the resolution to the electors of the county at the first general election following its adoption for those electors to select their preferred method of electing the 5 commissioners. A covered county that has a board consisting of 5 commissioners and that already elects its commissioners according to one of the 2 alternative methods using either the by-district method or the combination method of election is not required to pass a resolution. With a petition signed by at least 5% of the qualified electors of the county, the electors of a covered county that has a board consisting of 5 commissioners may also place on the ballot at a general election the question of whether to change the method of electing members of the board from one of the 2 alternative methods of election to the other.     A home rule county that elects more than half of its county commissioners by district or using a ranked voting method is exempt from the requirements of the bill.     The bill also makes conforming amendments.(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Who sponsors CO HB 1203?

J. Bacon, A. Benavidez, B. Marshall and 13 others are the primary sponsors of CO HB 1203, joined by 2 cosponsors.

Description

Currently, in a county with a population of 70,000 or more (covered county) , the board of county commissioners (board) may consist of 3 or 5 commissioners. If the board consists of 3 commissioners, the county is divided into 3 districts, with one commissioner elected from each district by voters in the district or voters of the whole county. Alternatively, the board may consist of 5 commissioners, in which case the county may be divided into 3 or 5 districts, and the commissioners may be elected pursuant to numerous methods, including by district, at large, or by some combination of both methods.     The bill eliminates modifies this discretionary system and instead requires any county with a population of 70,000 or more ( so that if a covered county ) to elect has 3 commissioners, the commissioners must be elected by district only by voters resident in those districts. If a covered county has 5 commissioners , the commissioners must be elected by one of the following 2 alternative methods of election :5 commissioners resident in 5 districts elected only by voters resident in those districts (by-district method) ; or 5 3 commissioners elected by district only by voters in those districts and 2 commissioners elected at large using a ranked voting method by voters of the whole county (combination method) .      The board of a covered county that has 3 commissioners must refer a resolution to the electors of the county at the general election during each decennial census year to ask the electors whether they would like to increase the board to 5 commissioners and, if so, which of the two alternative methods of election they prefer for electing those 5 commissioners.      The board of a covered county that has 5 commissioners is required to adopt a resolution designating the 2 alternative methods of electing the 5 county commissioners no later than its first regularly scheduled meeting in the calendar year 2027 . or its first regularly scheduled meeting in the month following becoming a covered county. The board is required to refer the resolution to the electors of the county at the first general election following its adoption for those electors to select their preferred method of electing the 5 commissioners. A covered county that has a board consisting of 5 commissioners and that already elects its commissioners according to one of the 2 alternative methods using either the by-district method or the combination method of election is not required to pass a resolution. With a petition signed by at least 5% of the qualified electors of the county, the electors of a covered county that has a board consisting of 5 commissioners may also place on the ballot at a general election the question of whether to change the method of electing members of the board from one of the 2 alternative methods of election to the other.     A home rule county that elects more than half of its county commissioners by district or using a ranked voting method is exempt from the requirements of the bill.     The bill also makes conforming amendments.(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Introduced
2026-02-11
Latest action
2026-02-11 — Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • J. Baconsponsor
  • A. Benavidezsponsor
  • B. Marshallsponsor
  • N. Hinrichsensponsor
  • S. Woodrowsponsor
  • E. Velascosponsor
  • L. Smithsponsor
  • M. Rutinelsponsor
  • K. Nguyensponsor
  • M. Martinezsponsor
  • J. Mabreysponsor
  • J. Josephsponsor
  • J. Jacksonsponsor
  • L. Garcíasponsor
  • C. Cliffordsponsor
  • L. Listonsponsor
  • M. Lindsaycosponsor
  • E. Sirotacosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-04-21

    Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely

  2. 2026-03-19

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs

    introduction

  3. 2026-03-16

    House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

    passage,reading-3

  4. 2026-03-13

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor

  5. 2026-03-05

    House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

  6. 2026-03-02

    House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole

    committee-passage,referral-committee

  7. 2026-02-11

    Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

    introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Adopt amendment L.009 (Attachment H).

    2026-03-02 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (11)
    • Scott Bottoms: no
    • Brandi Bradley: no
    • Michael Carter: yes
    • Cecelia Espenoza: yes
    • Lisa Feret: yes
    • Meg Froelich: yes
    • Stephanie Luck: yes
    • Kenny Nguyen: yes
    • Naquetta Ricks: yes
    • Chad Clifford: yes
    • Jenny Willford: yes

  • Adopt amendment L.007 (Attachment F).

    2026-03-02 · pass · 0-0

  • Adopt amendment L.010 (Attachment G).

    2026-03-02 · pass · 0-0

  • Refer House Bill 26-1203, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.

    2026-03-02 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (11)
    • Scott Bottoms: no
    • Brandi Bradley: no
    • Michael Carter: yes
    • Cecelia Espenoza: yes
    • Lisa Feret: yes
    • Meg Froelich: yes
    • Stephanie Luck: no
    • Kenny Nguyen: yes
    • Naquetta Ricks: yes
    • Chad Clifford: yes
    • Jenny Willford: yes

  • BILL

    2026-03-16 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (65)
    • Bacon: yes
    • Barron: no
    • Boesenecker: no
    • Bottoms: no
    • Bradfield: no
    • Bradley: excused
    • Brooks: no
    • Brown: yes
    • Caldwell: no
    • Camacho: yes
    • Carter: yes
    • Clifford: yes
    • DeGraaf: excused
    • Duran: no
    • English: yes
    • Espenoza: yes
    • Feret: yes
    • Flanell: no
    • Froelich: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Garcia Sander: no
    • Gilchrist: yes
    • Goldstein: no
    • Gonzalez R.: no
    • Hamrick: yes
    • Hartsook: no
    • Jackson: yes
    • Johnson: no
    • Joseph: yes
    • Keltie: no
    • Lieder: no
    • Lindsay: yes
    • Luck: no
    • Lukens: yes
    • Mabrey: yes
    • Marshall: yes
    • Martinez: yes
    • Mauro: no
    • McCormick: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Paschal: yes
    • Phillips: yes
    • Richardson: no
    • Ricks: yes
    • Rutinel: yes
    • Rydin: yes
    • Sirota: yes
    • Slaugh: no
    • Smith: yes
    • Soper: no
    • Stewart K.: yes
    • Stewart R.: yes
    • Story: no
    • Suckla: no
    • Taggart: excused
    • Titone: yes
    • Valdez: no
    • Velasco: yes
    • Weinberg: no
    • Willford: yes
    • Winter T.: no
    • Woodrow: yes
    • Woog: no
    • Zokaie: no
    • McCluskie: yes

  • Postpone House Bill 26-1203 indefinitely.

    2026-04-21 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (5)
    • William Lindstedt: yes
    • Rod Pelton: yes
    • Lynda Zamora Wilson: yes
    • Tom Sullivan: yes
    • Katie Wallace: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1203

Attribution

Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-08-21T21:01:01.173542Z

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