Credit Agency Voter Address Verification
HB1104 would create a new statewide voter address-verification program run by the Colorado Secretary of State using a third-party credit bureau. In addition to the existing monthly change-of-address search, the bill requires the secretary to conduct an annual search of the statewide voter registration list by sending only voters’ names, birth years, and residential addresses to a credit bureau, which would compare that information against its database and return a list of electors with possible address discrepancies. The program would exclude participants in the state address confidentiality program and confidential voters, including first responders who have enrolled as confidential voters.
The bill also requires the secretary to enter into a procurement-compliant agreement with the credit bureau that incorporates security protections, limits use of the voter data, and prohibits the bureau from selling or disclosing the information. The secretary would then forward discrepancy data to county clerks and recorders, who may review it and take action under existing law, but are not required to change any registration information based solely on the credit bureau match. The secretary may adopt rules to implement the program, and the bill states that it does not alter federal NVRA requirements or existing voter record-maintenance procedures.
In practical terms, HB1104 would amend Colorado’s voter list-maintenance statute to add a new annual address-check mechanism using a private credit bureau, while preserving county discretion and existing legal safeguards. It would affect the Secretary of State, county clerks and recorders, and all electors in the statewide voter registration list except protected confidential-address voters. The bill is framed as an administrative election-integrity measure rather than a change to voter eligibility or registration rules.
The available voting history suggests the bill was controversial and did not advance: the House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee split 5-5 on a motion to refer the bill to Appropriations, and then used a reverse roll call to postpone the bill indefinitely. That outcome indicates substantial opposition or at least insufficient support within committee, even though no committee transcript is available to show the specific arguments. The lack of recorded discussion makes the precise reasoning unclear, but the close vote suggests concerns likely centered on privacy, data security, use of a private credit bureau, or the necessity of duplicating existing address-verification processes.
Overall sentiment appears mixed to negative in committee, with the bill failing to move forward despite a formal attempt to advance it. Supporters likely viewed it as a tool for improving address accuracy in voter rolls, while opponents likely questioned the use of sensitive voter data and the need for another verification layer. The bill’s explicit privacy restrictions and carve-outs for confidential voters suggest those issues were anticipated as part of the debate.
HB1104 would amend Colorado Revised Statutes section 1-2-302.5 to authorize a new annual change-of-address search using a third-party credit bureau, in addition to the existing monthly search and county-level National Change of Address searches. It would require the Secretary of State to transmit limited voter data, establish contractual security and nondisclosure requirements, and pass discrepancy information to county clerks and recorders for discretionary follow-up under existing law. The bill would not create a mandatory duty for counties to change voter records based on the credit bureau data and would not alter federal NVRA compliance requirements.
The committee record shows a sharply divided reception. A 5-5 vote on referral to Appropriations indicates the bill lacked clear support, and the subsequent reverse roll call to postpone indefinitely shows it ultimately failed to advance. With no transcript available, the specific arguments are not recorded, but the outcome suggests significant concern about the proposal’s policy merits, privacy implications, or administrative necessity. The bill’s framing as a voter-roll maintenance measure likely appealed to supporters, but the committee result indicates that opposition was strong enough to stop it early.
The main points of contention appear to be the use of a third-party credit bureau to verify voter addresses, the transmission of voter registration data to a private entity, and the privacy/security implications of that data sharing. Opponents likely focused on whether the state should rely on a credit bureau rather than existing postal and county processes, and whether the added verification step could create risks or burdens. Supporters likely emphasized improved accuracy of voter registration records and election administration. The bill’s exemptions for address confidentiality program participants and confidential voters, including first responders, suggest sensitivity to privacy concerns, but the close committee vote indicates those safeguards did not resolve all objections.