Learn About Election Rules

Below are municipal election rules for the City and County of Denver. Visit the Colorado Secretary of State website for information on other types of elections.

Rule 1 - Definitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)

Rule 1 - Definitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)(PDF, 120KB)

Rule 2 - Computation of Time (Adopted 1/8/15)

Rule 2 - Computation of Time (Adopted 1/8/15)(PDF, 114KB)

Rule 3 - Campaign Finance (Adopted 5/6/2025)

Rule 3 - Campaign Finance (adopted 5/6/2025)(PDF, 173KB)

Rule 4 - Candidate Petitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)

Rule 4 - Candidate Petitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)(PDF, 194KB)

Rule 5 - Initiated Ordinance Petitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)

Rule 5 - Initiated Ordinance Petitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)(PDF, 168KB)

Rule 6 - Referendum Petitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)

Rule 6 - Referendum Petitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)(PDF, 188KB)

Rule 7 - Recall Petition for Municipal Elected Officials (Adopted 6/25/2024)

Rule 7 - Recall Petition for Municipal Elected Officials (Adopted 6/25/2024)(PDF, 174KB)

Rule 8 - Charter Amendment Petitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)

Rule 8 - Charter Amendment Petitions (Adopted 6/25/2024)(PDF, 165KB)

Rule 9 - Canvass Board for Municipal Election (Adopted 1/8/2015)

Rule 9 - Canvass Board for Municipal Election (Adopted 1/8/2015)(PDF, 108KB)

Rule 10 - Recount for Municipal Election (Adopted 1/2/2019)

Rule 10 - Recount for Municipal Election (Adopted 1/2/2019)(PDF, 142KB)

Rule 11 - UOCAVA Ballot Access Program (Adopted 1/8/15)

Rule 11 - UOCAVA Ballot Access Program (Adopted 1/8/15)(PDF, 117KB)

Rule 12 - Digital Petition Application: Pilot system for the circulation and submission of certain digital petitions (Adopted 1/8/2015)

Rule 12 - Digital Petition Application: Pilot system for the circulation and submission of certain digital petitions (Adopted 1/8/2015)(PDF, 110KB)

Rule 13 - Voter Service and Polling Centers at the Municipal Election (Adopted 1/2/2019)

Rule 13 - Voter Service and Polling Centers at the Municipal Election (Adopted 1/2/2019)(PDF, 106KB)

Rule 14 - Municipal Ballot Information Booklet (Adopted 1/2/2025)

Read Rule 14 for the Municipal Ballot Information Booklet here.(PDF, 115KB)

Rule 15 - Election Audits (Adopted 1/2/2019)

Rule 15 - Election Audits (Adopted 1/2/2019)(PDF, 124KB)

2014 Clerk and Recorder Election Rules Comparative Table

This table gives the location of those sections of the Clerk and Recorder Election Rules enacted June 6, 2012 that were amended or adopted into the currently enacted Clerk and Recorder Election Rules.

	Rules enacted 6/6/2012			Amended and New Rules
Rule 1	Definitions		Rule 1	Definitions
Rule 2	Computation of Time			Amend. 1.5
Rule 3	Campaign Finance		Rule 2	Computation of Time
	Rule 3.1	Reports	Rule 3	Campaign Finance
	Rule 3.2	Electronic Filing		Amend. 3.2
	Rule 3.3	Extension of Reporting Deadlines	Rule 4	Candidate Petitions
Rule 4	Candidate Petitions			Amend. 4.1, 4.3, 4.4
	Rule 4.1	City Elective Offices	Rule 5	Initiated Ordinance Petitions
	Rule 4.2	Candidate Acceptance and Withdrawal of Nomination		Amend. 5.3, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10, 5.11
	Rule 4.3	Candidate Petitions of Nomination	Rule 6	Referendum Petitions
	Rule 4.4	Verification of Candidate Petitions of Nomination		Amend. 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 6.10
	Rule 4.5	Notification of Sufficiency Decision	Rule 7	Recall Petitions for Municipal Elected Officials
	Rule 4.6	Protest of Candidate Petitions of Nomination		Amend. 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 7.10, 7.11, 7.12
	Rule 4.7	Placement of Candidate Names on Ballot	Rule 8	Charter Amendment Petitions
Rule 5	Initiated Ordinance Petitions			Amend. 8.4
Rule 6	Referendum Petitions		Rule 9	Canvass Board
Rule 7	Recall Petitions for Municipal Elected Officials		Rule 10	Recount for Municipal Election
Rule 8	Charter Amendment Petitions		Rule 11	UOCAVA Ballot Access Program
Rule 9	Canvass Board			Added
Repealed			Rule 12	Digital Petition Application - System for the circulation and submission of certain digital petitions
Repealed
Repealed				Added
Rule 10	Recount for Municipal Election
Expired
Repealed

2018 Clerk and Recorder Election Rules Comparative Table

2018 Clerk and Recorder Election Rules Comparative Table

This table gives the location of those sections of the Clerk and Recorder Election Rules enacted February 5, 2018 that were amended or adopted into the currently enacted Clerk and Recorder Election Rules.

	Rules enacted 1/8/15		Amended and New Rules
Rule 1	Definitions	Rule 1	Definitions
Rule 2	Computation of Time	Rule 2	Computation of Time
Rule 3	Campaign Finance	Rule 3	Campaign Finance
Rule 3	Campaign Finance	Rule 3	Add 3.1, 3.5, 3.6; Amend 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
Rule 4	Candidate Petitions	Rule 4	Candidate Petitions
Rule 5	Initiated Ordinance Petitions	Rule 5	Initiated Ordinance Petitions
Rule 5	Initiated Ordinance Petitions	Rule 5	Add 5.1.1
Rule 6	Referendum Petitions	Rule 6	Referendum Petitions
Rule 7	Recall Petitions for Municipal Elected Officials	Rule 7	Recall Petitions for Municipal Elected Officials
Rule 8	Charter Amendment Petitions	Rule 8	Charter Amendment Petitions
Rule 8	Charter Amendment Petitions	Rule 8	Add 8.1.1
Rule 9	Canvass Board	Rule 9	Canvass Board
Rule 10	Recount for Municipal Election	Rule 10	Recount for Municipal Election
Rule 11	UOCAVA Ballot Access Program	Rule 11	UOCAVA Ballot Access Program
Rule 12	Digital Petition Application – System for the circulation and submission of certain digital petitions	Rule 12	Digital Petition Application – System for the circulation and submission of certain digital petitions
Rule 13	Voter and Service Polling Centers

Rulemaking by Year

2025

Adopted Election Rules - January 2, 2025(PDF, 239KB)
Notice of Public Rulemaking Hearing - April 28, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.(PDF, 409KB)
Notice of Adoption of Campaign Finance Election Rules - May 9, 2025(PDF, 378KB)

2024

Notice of Adoption of Emergency Election Rules - October 25, 2024(PDF, 246KB)
Notice of Adoption of Emergency Rules and Public Rulemaking Hearing - August 15, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.
Adopted Election Rules - June 25, 2024
Notice of Public Rulemaking Hearing, June 10, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.

2023

Notice of Adoption of Emergency Election Rules(PDF, 217KB), April 18, 2023

2022

Notice of Adoption of Emergency Election Rules(PDF, 389KB) , November 30, 2022

2021

Notice of Adoption of Emergency Election Rules(PDF, 2MB) September 9, 2021

2020

Notice of Adoption of Emergency Election Rules, April 14, 2020

Notice of Adoption of Emergency Election Rules(PDF, 995KB), December 17, 2020

2019

Adopted Rules Fair Election Fund - July 12, 2019
Notice of Public Rulemaking Hearing, July 2nd, 2019 at 10am - Proposed modifications to campaign finance rules.
Proposed rules for Fair Elections Fund
Audio from Rulemaking Hearing - July 2, 2019
Notice of Adoption of Emergency Election Rules, March 11, 2019
Notice of Adoption of Emergency Election Rules, March 1, 2019
Notice of Adoption Election and Campaign Finance Rules, January 2, 2019
Election and Campaign Finance Rules(PDF, 857KB) , Adopted January 2, 2019

2018

Notice of Public Rulemaking Hearing , December 21, 2018
Proposed Election and Campaign Finance Rules, December 21, 2018
Notice of Adoption Emergency Election Rules - Adopted November 28, 2018
Emergency Election Rules - Adopted November 28, 2018
Notice of Adoption Emergency Election and Campaign Finance Rules - Published on Monday, August 27, 2018 as required by city ordinance.
Emergency Election and Campaign Finance Rules - Adopted August 23, 2018
Notice of Adoption Election Rules - Published on Thursday, February 8, 2018 as required by city ordinance.

2017

Notice of Adoption of Emergency Rule 3 - Adopted October 10, 2017.

2015

Notice of Adoption of Emergency Rule 13 - Published on Tuesday, February 10, 2015.
Notice of Adoption Election Rules - Published on Thursday, January 8, 2015, as required by city ordinance.