Getting Ready to Vote

There has been a lot of news lately about voting. These reports range from possible
changes to voting rules to misinformation about the security of voting systems. This can
leave some folks confused about the facts. With important midterm elections coming up
in early November, it makes sense to clarify the rules governing our elections here in
Colorado.
To vote in an election in Colorado, you must be a U.S. Citizen, a Colorado resident, at
least 18 years old, and registered to vote. When you apply for a Colorado Driver’s
License, you are automatically registered to vote. You can also register online at the
Secretary of State’s website: GoVoteColorado.gov. If you are already registered, this
site also allows you to update your registration, ensure your address is current, change
party affiliation, sign up for BallotTrax notifications, and much more.
You can also register to vote in person at the County Clerk’s Election office in the
Blackstock Building in Gunnison during business hours or in the Voter Service & Polling
Center (VSPC) in the tent in the Blackstock Parking Lot (from Oct. 19th until the
election). In-person registration can be done up to election day. There will also be
VSPCs at Western Colorado University (WCU) and at the Queen of all Saints Parish
Hall in Crested Butte on November 2nd and 3rd.
A Colorado Driver’s license is the most common way to prove you meet the registration
requirements. Other forms of ID, such as a passport or Social Security number, are
accepted as proof of citizenship. To prove your residence, you can provide evidence of
official mail, such as a bank statement or utility bill, addressed to you at your Colorado
residence.
If you are registering as a new voter or have moved and are updating your official
address, it would be best to do that in September so your ballot, which will be sent out
on October 9th, can be mailed to you. Otherwise, you will have to go by the VSPC
starting October 19th to register, update your information, etc. to get your ballot. By
Colorado Law, ballots cannot be forwarded to another address by the Post Office. If you
have moved recently, be sure to update your address early, or your ballot will be
returned as undeliverable, and you will have to visit the VSPC to get a new one.
Students at WCU may have a unique situation. You may be registered to vote back

home in Ohio but live in Gunnison while you are in school. If you want to vote from your
Ohio residence, you’ll need to contact your county clerk to request a ballot and ensure
you return it on time to be counted. If you want to vote a ballot in Colorado, you will
have to give up your registration in Ohio and register to vote here in Colorado. But
caution is warranted, as changing your residence could affect financial aid or student
loans. Be sure to understand what those changes may mean for your circumstances.
University staff on campus and your state’s election office may be able to provide advice
about changing residency.

Colorado is a mail ballot state. That means all registered voters will receive a ballot by
mail at their official mailing address several weeks before the election. This period
allows voters to research candidates and issues and fill out their ballots at their
convenience.
Once you have voted, place your ballot in the return envelope and seal it up. You must
sign the back of this return envelope. This is an important security measure to ensure
that this ballot is yours. If you are unable to sign, you can have a witness also sign your
return envelope to certify that you are the one voting this ballot.
The best way to turn in your ballot is to drop it in an official dropbox, which will be open
starting October 12th. There are 5 dropbox locations around the County. These are:
Gunnison - Blackstock County Building - 221 N Wisconsin St. - at both entrances of the
parking lot.
Western Colorado University - near the south entrance to the Student Center.
Crested Butte South -61 Teocalli Ave near the Property Owners Association building
Crested Butte - 507 Maroon Ave in Crank’s Plaza
Mt. Crested Butte- 700 Gothic Rd. At the restroom for the TC-1 parking area just above
the Ski Area Parking lot.
These boxes are safe, secure, and under 24-hour video surveillance. During the
election, the boxes are usually collected once a day by a bipartisan team. All dropboxes
will be locked precisely at 7:00 pm on Election Day - Nov. 3rd, and no votes can be
deposited after that, so get your votes in before then. The earlier a ballot is returned, the
sooner it will be processed, which translates into faster publication of election results.

State Law allows you to drop off up to 10 ballots in a dropbox for family or friends if that
is convenient for you.
Alternatively, you can put your vote in the mail with appropriate postage and a return
address. The County Clerk must receive mailed ballots by 7 pm on Election Day.
Postmark dates don’t count in Colorado for ballot returns. The speed of USPS service
can vary, so make sure you mail it early enough to allow for delivery time. If you are
unsure, it is better to put your ballot in a dropbox.
On GoVoteColorado.gov, you can sign up for BallotTrax for free. This service will let you
know by text or email when your Ballot has been mailed out, received by the Election
Office, and officially accepted. If there is a problem with your ballot, you will be notified
and will have 8 days after election day to resolve it.
Thomas Jefferson correctly stated that a properly functioning democracy depends on
well-educated and well-informed voters. Along with a list of candidates, this fall’s ballot
has up to 14 ballot issues that will need to be studied to make a wise choice. The
challenge of understanding the issues is made a little easier by the traditional Blue
Book, compiled by the Colorado State Assembly, which provides a balanced analysis of
ballot issues. It also comes in the mail to each household.

A variety of problems with ballots and voting can occur. You lost your ballot, you moved
and didn’t get it, the dog ate it, etc. If any problems or questions arise with your ballot,
visit the nice folks at the County Clerk’s Office or the VSPC at the Blackstock Building
parking lot starting October 19th, and they will be happy to help you figure it out. Be
sure to bring your driver’s license. Additional election information is available on the
County’s website at: www.gunnisoncounty.org/elections.
Voting should be easy, safe, secure, and accurate. Colorado has put a lot of effort into
meeting those goals. But ultimately it is up to voters to take advantage of this system. In
June’s Primary Election, voter turnout in Gunnison County was only about 36%. Turnout
will likely be higher in this fall’s election, but voting turnout is always lower than it should
be. Now that you understand the system a little better, Get Out There and Vote.