Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday signed legislation banning people from openly carrying firearms at polling places or within 100 feet of ballot drop boxes.

House Bill 1086, called the Vote Without Fear Act, earlier passed the state Senate and House along strict party-line votes, with Democrats in support and Republicans in opposition.

Supporters said the bill will prevent voter intimidation as the nation’s political climate becomes more and more tense.

“Casting a vote is really one of our most sacred rights as Americans,” Polis said. “This bill helps further that. It helps make sure that people aren’t intimidated when they drop off their ballot, when they go vote.”

Opponents to the bill argued that it would inconvenience Coloradans practicing their Second Amendment right to bear arms, especially in rural areas where many people hunt and likely don’t care about seeing firearms while voting.

“We’re taking values, perspectives of the world from the metro Denver and Boulder area and applying them statewide,” said Minority Leader Sen. Chris Holbert, R-Douglas County, during the Senate debate.

Supporters pointed to voter intimidation tactics of the Civil Rights era, in addition to recent conflicts involving voters and election officials facing threats.

During the 2020 election, two men attempted to film voters dropping off ballots at an Arapahoe County government office in Littleton. Arapahoe County officials called the police. The two men, one of whom had a gun and wore a “tactical” vest, were not cited, according to an Englewood Herald article.

“Unfortunately, we have a legacy in what carrying guns openly really means by way of intimidation and we just wanted to put our foot down,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, who sponsored the bill. “There are a lot of things to balance, including thinking about our rights, but the law is very clear on the Second Amendment in that we can legislate around manner and place.”

Colorado already restricts constitutionally-protected activities around polling places, Polis said. Electioneering is not allowed at polling centers, which includes prohibiting people from wearing pins or shirts advertising candidates, he noted.

Other states, including Texas, Florida and Georgia, also have similar laws restricting openly carrying guns at or around voting centers.

HB-1086 was part of Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s legislative agenda this session and was the first of the bills to be signed into law. Griswold celebrated the bill’s signing Wednesday amid what she called a “rise of violent rhetoric around our democracy.”

“Taking this proactive step is going to be important,” Griswold said. “We’re seeing an attack on democracy throughout the nation. Last year, 30 bills were passed to suppress the vote. This year, over 330 are already being considered. It just shows that Colorado, even with everything happening in the nation, we’re going to continue to move forward.”