C.R.S. Section 37-48-184
Debt election contests

(1)

Any election declared to have carried on an authorization to issue any bonds, by approval of the bond question, or otherwise to incur an indebtedness by approval of the question thereon may be contested by any elector of the district or subdistrict holding the debt election by suit against it as contestee and defendant in any district court of any county in which the district or subdistrict holding the election is wholly or partially situate:

(a)

When illegal votes have been received or legal votes rejected at the polls in sufficient numbers to change the results;

(b)

For any error or mistake on the part of any of the judges of election, any county clerk and recorder, the secretary of the district, or their respective officers and employees in counting or declaring the result of the election, if the error or mistake is sufficient to change the result;

(c)

For malconduct, fraud, or corruption on the part of any of the judges of election, any county clerk and recorder, the secretary of the district, or their respective officers and employees, if the malconduct, fraud, or corruption is sufficient to change the result;

(d)

When the bonds or other indebtedness is authorized to be issued for an invalid purpose; or

(e)

For any other cause which shows that the bonds or other indebtedness is not validly authorized at the election.

(2)

The style and form of process, the manner of service of process and papers, the fees of officers, and judgment for costs and execution thereon shall be according to the rules and practices of the court.

(3)

Before the court shall take jurisdiction of the contest, the contestor shall file with the clerk of the court a bond, with sureties, to be approved by the judge thereof, running to the district or subdistrict holding the debt election as contestee and conditioned to pay all costs in case of failure of the contestor to maintain his contest.

(4)

When the validity of any bond or other indebtedness election is contested, the plaintiff or plaintiffs, within thirty days after the returns of the election are canvassed and the results thereof declared and published, or last published, as the case may be, shall file with the clerk of the court a verified written complaint setting forth specifically:

(a)

The name of the party contesting the election and a statement that the plaintiff or each plaintiff is an elector of the district or subdistrict holding the election;

(b)

The proposition or propositions voted on at the election which are contested, the name of the district or the subdistrict as defendant and contestee, and the date of the election; and

(c)

The particular grounds of such contest.

(5)

No such contest shall be maintained and no election shall be set aside or held invalid unless such a complaint is filed within the period prescribed in subsection (4) of this section.

(6)

Except as otherwise provided in this article, the election laws pertaining to contested election cases of municipal offices as provided in part 13 of article 10 of title 31, C.R.S., of the “Colorado Municipal Election Code of 1965”, as from time to time amended, shall be applicable to bond or other indebtedness elections; but any such contest shall be regarded as one contesting the outcome of the vote on the proposition authorizing the issuance of securities or otherwise incurring the indebtedness, rather than election to office, and the district or subdistrict as contestee, rather than a person declared to have been elected to office, shall be regarded as the defendant.

(7)

If the board of directors declares the proposition authorizing the issuance of bonds or otherwise incurring the indebtedness to have carried and no contest is duly filed or if such a contest is filed after it is favorably terminated, the board may issue the bonds or otherwise incur the indebtedness authorized at the election at one time or from time to time.

Source: Section 37-48-184 — Debt election contests, https://leg.­colorado.­gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-37.­pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).

37‑48‑101
Legislative declaration 37‑48‑101.3
Definitions 37‑48‑102
Creation and name of district 37‑48‑103
Board of directors 37‑48‑104
Employees 37‑48‑105
Powers of district 37‑48‑106
Principal office - meetings 37‑48‑107
Assessment and levy by board 37‑48‑108
Creation of subdistricts 37‑48‑109
Compensation of directors 37‑48‑110
Limitations on power to levy and contract 37‑48‑111
Investment of surplus funds 37‑48‑112
Rules 37‑48‑113
Court confirmation 37‑48‑114
Petition 37‑48‑115
Notice and hearing on petition 37‑48‑116
Election resolution 37‑48‑117
Conduct of election 37‑48‑118
Notice of election 37‑48‑119
Polling places 37‑48‑120
Election supplies 37‑48‑121
Election returns 37‑48‑122
Expenses of election - appropriation 37‑48‑123
Procedure for establishment of subdistricts 37‑48‑124
Time and place of hearing on petition 37‑48‑125
Filing of protest - procedure - decree - fee 37‑48‑126
Official plan for subdistrict 37‑48‑127
Execution of plans 37‑48‑128
Contracts 37‑48‑129
Surveys and examinations 37‑48‑130
Cooperation with United States or other agencies 37‑48‑131
Access to lands - penalty 37‑48‑132
Removal of structures 37‑48‑133
Passing equipment through bridge or grade 37‑48‑134
Functions and duties of board of managers 37‑48‑135
Retention of personnel 37‑48‑136
Appointment of appraisers 37‑48‑137
Appraisals 37‑48‑138
Report of appraisers - special improvement bonds 37‑48‑139
Notice of hearing on appraisals 37‑48‑140
Hearing on appraisals 37‑48‑141
Decree on appraisals 37‑48‑142
Filing decree 37‑48‑143
Validation of irregular proceedings 37‑48‑144
Compensation of appraisers 37‑48‑145
Preliminary fund 37‑48‑146
Power to borrow money for the preliminary fund 37‑48‑147
Directors bound by financing plan 37‑48‑148
Special assessments - procedure in making 37‑48‑149
Special improvement bonds 37‑48‑150
Manner of collection - tax sale - certificate of purchase - tax deed 37‑48‑151
Collection by civil action 37‑48‑152
Special improvement assessments constitute perpetual lien 37‑48‑153
Directors to remedy defects - special improvement assessments - special assessments 37‑48‑154
Records of assessments, service charges, or user fees as evidence 37‑48‑155
Defects in notice perfected 37‑48‑156
Contracts of subdistricts 37‑48‑157
Issuance of general obligation bonds - revenue bonds 37‑48‑158
Board to certify tax assessments 37‑48‑159
Sinking fund 37‑48‑160
Subdistrict budget 37‑48‑175
Election to authorize debt 37‑48‑176
Definition of elector 37‑48‑177
Elections 37‑48‑178
Election resolution 37‑48‑179
Conduct of election 37‑48‑180
Notice of election 37‑48‑181
Polling places 37‑48‑182
Election supplies 37‑48‑183
Election returns 37‑48‑184
Debt election contests 37‑48‑185
Covenants and other provisions in bonds 37‑48‑186
Liens on pledged revenues 37‑48‑187
Rights - powers of holders of bonds - trustees 37‑48‑188
Investments and securities 37‑48‑189
Rents and charges 37‑48‑190
Miscellaneous powers 37‑48‑191
Cooperative powers 37‑48‑192
Joint action entity 37‑48‑193
Correlative powers of political subdivisions 37‑48‑194
Refunding 37‑48‑195
Costs - board of managers to concur
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through Fall 2024

§ 37-48-184’s source at colorado​.gov