With national concern about the integrity of mail-in ballots, Colorado has been getting national attention for its system. Colorado began statewide vote by mail in 2013, although some counties adopted mail ballots before that. We know voters and potential voters have questions as voting begins and continues through Election Day. The Colorado News Collaborative and its members want to answer those questions.
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 mailed them before that, they should arrive in time.
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.
What if I didn’t get my ballot?
Check GoVoteColorado 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.
One of my family members is seriously ill, but insists on casting a ballot. What if they die before Election Day?
If a ballot is cast before November 3 when the person is alive, it will count and is legal.
I got two ballots in the mail? What’s up with that?
First, look at them carefully. It’s likely they aren’t the same. In some counties, ballots for special election districts go out separately from the general election ballot. And they’re important. The Denver Post pointed late last year out how these districts often have a major impact on property taxes. But you shouldn’t get two general election ballots. If you do, check to see if the name on the ballots is identical. If it is, contact your county clerk. And consider sharing the issue with Electionland, a partnership between ProPublica and news organizations around the nation.
Where’s the secrecy sleeve in my ballot?
Counties don’t have to include a “secrecy sleeve” to cover up your ballot before putting it in the envelope under a 2018 under Colorado law aimed at saving money. In many counties, you may put your ballot inside the instruction pamphlet if you want to cover it up.
How do I become a poll watcher, like President Donald Trump suggested? Can I just show up and watch?
You can’t just show up and hang out at vote centers. A poll or election watcher is a formal job that requires appointment by a political party or issue committee, as well as training on what the job entails. This story from the Colorado Sun offers more detail on how to be a poll watcher. Keep in mind that trying to intimidate voters at polling places is illegal, and Attorney General Phil Weiser told the Denver Post that his office will prosecute those who try to intimidate people at vote centers.
May I deliver ballots for other people in my family or neighborhood along with mine? Is “ballot harvesting” legal? Should I let someone else turn in my ballot?
An individual may turn in up to 10 ballots from family, friends or neighbors. People working for a political party or other organization also may only turn in 10 ballots, and often may reach out to people with that offer in trying to increase voter turnout. You should make sure you trust the person you allow to return your ballot. Other states have different laws on returning such ballots.
How do I know if I’m registered to vote?
GoVoteColorado has a range of information on registration, including the ability to register to vote. and enter your name, zip code and date of birth to check your voter registration.
What if I’ve moved?
This link also will allow you to change your address.
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.
How long do I have to register?
Although it’s too late to receive a ballot through the mail if you register later than October 26, you may register and vote in person at vote centers through 7pm on Election Day, November 3.
Can I take a photo of my ballot and post it on social media?
Yes. A 2017 law makes ballot selfies legal in Colorado. According to Colorado Public Radio, it overturned an 1891 law from sharing marked ballots, which was aimed at preventing voter coercion. But you might want to use caution that personal details, including your signature, aren’t revealed when you post.
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 were already using ballot tracking, so if you’re already signed up, there’s no need to do it again.
How do I return my ballot?
Ballots must arrive at a vote center or county clerk’s office by 7pm November 3. You may mail your ballot back, if there’s enough time for it to arrive. You may also deliver it to drop boxes at your county clerk’s office or other locations in your county. Beginning October 19, you may deliver it to voter centers staffed by election workers. About 75% of Colorado voters return their mail ballots to drop boxes, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
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.
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 drivers license or more likely the signature on the last ballot you returned, for example, on your primary ballot. 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. More details on how signatures are verified are available in this detailed guide for election judges.
I don’t want to vote by mail. I want to vote in person.
Colorado opened about 330 vote centers beginning October 19. You may vote at a center through 7pm Election Day with some limited weekend hours.
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.
When do elections officials start counting our ballots?
Elections officials may start counting ballots 15 days ahead of the election, on October 19. The early counting relieves some of the Election Day crush, but no results will be made public until after polls close at 7pm November 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.
Sandra Fish, Colorado News Collaborative, is a data journalist who’s covered campaign finance in Colorado for 20 years. She also teaches students at University of Colorado Boulder, and has written about politics for national outlets. This story is brought to you by COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative, a nonprofit coalition of more than 60 newsrooms across Colorado working together to better serve the public. Learn more at https://colabnews.co