AURORA | Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, but registered voters in Colorado will start receiving mail-in ballots after Oct. 10. Colorado began statewide vote by mail in 2013, although some counties adopted mail ballots before that.
We know voters and potential voters will have questions about how voter registration works, how mail-in ballots work, how ballots are counted and more. The Colorado News Collaborative and its members, including Sentinel Colorado, want to answer those
questions. We contacted the Secretary of State’s Office, county clerks and other resources to respond.
Arapahoe County election administrators strongly recommend that voters use one of the county’s 39 24-hr. ballot drop box locations for returning their ballots. Drop boxes are monitored 24 hours a day and emptied daily by a bipartisan team of sworn election
judges.
“Amid recent concerns about the reliability of the U.S. Postal
Service and speculation about obstacles to in-person voting, drop boxes are the most dependable option to return ballots,” Arapahoe County Clerk aJoan Lopez said in a statement. “It’s the fastest way to get your ballot back to us, you don’t even need a stamp, and it’s safe.”
When do elections officials start counting our ballots?
Elections officials may start counting ballots 15 days ahead of the election, this year on Oct. 19. But first, elections officials must verify the voter signature on the envelope. (See below for information about how signatures are verified.) The early counting relieves some of the Election Day crush, but no results will be made public until after polls close at 7 p.m. Nov. 3. Not even elections officials know the results until then because computer software prevents the count from being revealed until after polls close. Even with the head start in the count, full results in super-close contests still might take a few days.
Voter Information
• Arapahoe County voter information visit: www.arapahoevotes.com or call 303-795-4511
• Adams County voter information visit: www.adamsvotes.com or
call 720-523-6500
• Denver voter information visit: www.denvergov.org/ or call
720-913-8683
• Douglas County voter information visit: www.douglas.co.us/elections or call 303-660-7444
Registration
How do I know if I’m registered to vote?
Online, go to GoVoteColorado.com, It takes you to the Colorado Secretary of State website, which has a range of information on registration, including the ability to register to vote if you have a Colorado driver’s license or ID card.
What’s the difference between an “active” voter and an “inactive” voter?
A voter is considered active if they’ve voted in the most recent elections or updated their address or other registration information. A voter is considered inactive if their county clerk receives returned mail marked “undeliverable.”
Under federal law, clerks must wait two general election cycles before removing inactive voters from the database. Again, you may check GoVoteColorado.com to see if your registration is active and update your information if it isn’t.
What if I’ve moved?
This link also will allow you to change your address: www.sos.state.co.us/voter/pages/pub/olvr/findVoterReg.xhtml. Or just go to GoVoteColorado.com.
What if my name changed?
You’ll need to fill out this form and take it to your county clerk or mail it to the Colorado Secretary of State:
www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/vote/VoterRegFormEnglish.pdf. Or just go to GoVoteColorado.com.
How long do I have to register?
You must register by Oct. 26 to get a ballot in the mail (but you’ll need to return it to a vote center or drop box). But you may register and vote in person at vote centers through 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Ballots
What signature is used to validate the one on my returned ballot envelope? My signature has changed over time.
The most recent signature on a state transaction is used as a reference — typically a recent driver’s license or the signature on the last ballot you returned. All past signatures are available for election judges to review.
If election judges question your signature, you’ll get a notice from your clerk within three days (two if it occurs on Election Day) and you’ll have eight days to verify the signature is yours.
Do I have to request a ballot from my county clerk or the Secretary of State?
Not if you’re an active registered voter. County clerks automatically will begin mailing ballots to active registered voters on Oct. 8. Again, a voter is considered active if they’ve voted in the most recent general elections or updated their address or other registration information.
When will I get my ballot in the mail?
Ballots began being sent via mail on Oct. 2. If you sign up for ballot tracking, you’ll get an alert when your ballot is in the mail.
How do I know if my ballot was received?
Voters statewide may sign up to track your ballot online. You’ll get notifications via email, text message or phone (you may choose) when your ballot is mailed, and when it has been received and accepted. A dozen Colorado counties already offered ballot tracking, so if you’re already signed up, there’s no need to do it again.
In Arapahoe County, ballot tracking is available at: arapahoe.ballottrax.net
In Adams County and Douglas counties, ballot tracking is available at go to GoVoteColorado.com.
How do I return my ballot?
Ballots must arrive at a vote center or county clerk’s office by 7 p.m. Nov. 3. You may mail your ballot back, if there’s enough time for it to arrive. Remember: postmarks don’t count, according to the Secretary of State. The ballot has to be in the physical possession of elections officials on Election Day — not sitting in a blue box somewhere in the metroplex.
You may also deliver it to drop boxes at your county clerk’s office or other locations in your county. About 75% of Colorado voters return their mail ballots to drop boxes, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
What if I don’t get my ballot?
Check GoVoteColorado.com to see if your ballot has been mailed. If it has been mailed and you haven’t received it, contact your county clerk’s office and ask. Not every county will send ballots out the first day possible. But they need to hear from you if you don’t receive yours.
I won’t be here during the time ballots are mailed out?
Can I get a ballot earlier? Or have one mailed to a different address?
Yes. And, as of now, you may be able to pick up a ballot before you leave. Contact your county clerk to work out details if you want to pick up a ballot or have it mailed to a different address.
Security
Are drop boxes safe from tampering?
Yes, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. They are under 24-hour video surveillance and are emptied every day by a team of bipartisan election judges. The sturdy, metal boxes are bolted to the ground.
If I send my ballot back by mail, will it get there?
The Secretary of State recommends delivering ballots in person in the final eight days before the election. If you mail them before that, they should arrive in time.
What prevents me or anyone from voting twice: in person and by mail?
First, envelopes the ballots are returned in have barcodes unique to the individual. When the envelopes are received by clerks, they are scanned in and poll books are updated to show that the person has voted. So if someone sent in their mail ballot and it was processed, and then showed up to vote at a polling place, the poll worker checking them in would be able to see that they had already voted. Or, if the person votes early at a polling place, then also casts their mail ballot, their mail ballot will not be accepted for counting. It is illegal to vote more than once. If someone votes in person and by mail, county clerks are required to provide that information to the district attorney or state attorney general for prosecution.
I don’t want to vote by mail. I want to vote in person.
Colorado will open about hundreds of voting centers and drop boxes the last week of October. You may vote there in person starting then through 7 p.m. Election Day with some limited weekend hours. Find a voting center at your county’s website address above.
How can I be sure my vote is counted on Election Day?
Sign up to track your ballot. If it doesn’t arrive within a few days of being mailed, contact your county clerk. Return your ballot to a drop box or through the mail, and the ballot tracking system will let you know when your ballot is accepted. That means your vote will be counted. Here’s a tip: The sooner you return your ballot, the sooner the texts, emails and phone calls nagging you to vote will stop. Campaigns and political parties get information daily on who has voted, and they stop contacting those voters.