March 18, 2020 02:26 PM UTC

Polis Signs Order For Socially Distanced Assemblies

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• by: Colorado Pols

Among the many developments yesterday in the state of Colorado’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was an order from Gov. Jared Polis, carrying out legislation passed as the Colorado General Assembly got out of Dodge last weekend to allow for party nominating assemblies and conventions to go forward with the appropriate health safeguards. CBS4:

The executive order allows “Colorado’s political parties to amend certain rules and procedures governing the conduct of their assemblies and conventions and to limit in-person contact during nominating assemblies and conventions.”

“During this challenging time, we must continue to work together to ensure Coloradans have every opportunity to participate in the democratic process,” said Gov. Jared Polis. “I thank the state legislature and leadership for their work to quickly send this bipartisan bill to my desk.”

House Bill 20-1359 operates in conjunction with the executive order and allows for parties to provide a remote participation in nominating assemblies and conventions. It also allows “delegates to vote by email, mail, telephone or app, allows an individual who is physically present to carry up to five proxies, and allows the party to reduce the number of participants required for quorum. The executive order directs the Secretary of State to issue emergency rules to allow eligible voters to safely participate in the primary election.”

Here’s Gov. Polis’ full order. Colorado is a vanguard state for all-mail ballots — and we expect many more states to follow our example, boosting turnout in those states in addition to minimizing contagions of all descriptions. This year’s precinct caucuses in Colorado, on the other hand, were less than successful in the confusing immediate wake of our presidential primary–but obviously the process needs to be safely concluded.

Anyway, it’s one less thing to worry about. The socially-distanced show will go on.