HB 23-1170

HB 23-1170, also known as the Distributed Ledgers Voting bill, introduces a new system for Colorado elections using distributed ledgers. This technology ensures that voter eligibility and ballot information are securely recorded and can be publicly verified to maintain transparency and accuracy in voting processes. For voters casting ballots either in person or by mail, unique tokens are assigned to each ballot to track its validity and ensure it is counted correctly. The bill has been signed into law, meaning this new system for secure and transparent elections will now be implemented in Colorado.

Official Summary

A distributed ledger is a permanent database that is consensually shared, synchronized, and publicly accessible. A distributed ledger allows information to be entered into a publicly available common database from multiple locations at different times. The bill establishes a system for the use of distributed ledgers in elections. In the case of an elector who votes in person: A vetting registrar, in the presence of a vetting registration observer team, verifies that the elector is eligible to vote, and updates the voter eligibility status distributed ledger to reflect this process; A token assignment registrar, in the presence of a token assignment observer team, assigns the elector an election token, which is a unique anonymous text identifier, and updates the token assignment status and voter eligibility status distributed ledgers to reflect the assignment; The elector completes the elector's ballot and the election token is attached to that ballot; and An election official ensures that the elector is provided with a copy of the elector's ballot and election token. In the case of an elector who votes by mail: A vetting registrar, in the presence of a vetting registration observer team, notifies the elector that the elector's ballot has been received and will only be counted after the elector acknowledges the ballot's receipt; If the elector confirms the receipt of the elector's ballot with the vetting registrar, in the presence of the vetting registration observer team, the vetting registrar shall indicate this confirmation on a form attached to the ballot and update the voter eligibility status distributed ledger to reflect the confirmation; and A token assignment registrar, in the presence of a token assignment observer team, assigns the ballot an election token, which is a unique anonymous text identifier, and updates the token assignment status and voter eligibility status distributed ledgers to reflect the assignment. Before any ballot is counted, it is verified, in the presence of a token assignment observer team, that a unique election token is attached to the ballot. Upon counting a ballot, unless the ballot is counted as part of a manual count, a cast vote record of the ballot must be created and entered into the cast vote record distributed ledger. The public may access the various distributed ledgers described in the bill to confirm that the approach in the bill is followed, and that votes are counted accurately, and that the public may access a tally status report distributed ledger as votes are counted to track election results. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)