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People convicted of felonies who have served their entire sentences can vote in Colorado. So can people on probation and parole.

Those convicted of felonies who are imprisoned or confined to detention as part of their sentence cannot vote. They regain their voting eligibility after they have completed their “full term of imprisonment,” according to the Colorado Secretary of State.

“The day you are released from detention or incarceration is the day your eligibility to register to vote is restored,” the office stated on its website.

Defendants facing criminal charges in jail who are pretrial detainees or out on bond awaiting trial can vote. In May 2024, the General Assembly passed a law requiring county clerks to work with county sheriffs to allow voting in jail for at least one day, give detainees information on voting eligibility and provide them with instructions on how they can verify or change voter registration. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

See full source list below.

References:

Voters with convictions FAQs, Colorado Secretary of State, Accessed in August 2024. Source link.

Can I vote? Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, Accessed in August 2024. Source link.

Voting for Confined Eligible Electors, Colorado General Assembly, May 31, 2024. Source link.

Type of Story: Fact-Check

Checks a specific statement or set of statements asserted as fact.

Justin George is a 1995 graduate of Columbine High School. He has worked as a reporter at six news organizations including the Boulder Daily Camera, the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post. Email him at justin@coloradosun.com