Political yard signs, canvassing and campus voter registration tables popping up mean that it's election season in Colorado! This year, Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, and if you haven't registered to vote yet or have questions about voting in Colorado, then see below for all the information you need.
To register to vote, you must:
- Be a United States Citizen
- Be a resident of Colorado for 22 days or more
- Be at least 16 years old (16 year olds can pre-register, and may cast a ballot in an election if they will be 18 years old on or before the date of the election)
- Complete the fields marked "REQUIRED" on the application, including your complete address with apartment or unit number
Deadlines to Register:
- By mail, a voter registration drive or voter registration agency up to 22 days before Election Day (Oct. 14)
- Online up to eight days before Election Day (Oct. 28)
- In person at the Weld County Election Office (1401 N. 17th Ave., Greeley, CO 80631), or any designated voter service and polling location up to and including Election Day (Nov. 5)
You can also change or update your registration and find your polling location and other actions on the Colorado Secretary of State website. Also, the Weld County's election site has information including election maps, schedules and more.
Register by Mail, Fax or Email:
If you have not been issued either a Colorado driver’s license or ID card, you may still register to vote by using the paper voter registration form.
You need to print and sign the form. Then return it by mail, fax or email:
- Mailing Address: Weld County Elections, PO BOX 459, Greeley, CO 80632
- Fax Number: 970-304-6566
- Email Address: elections@weldgov.com (return file as a signed PDF or TIFF file attachment)
Q&A on Voting in Colorado:
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If I want to vote in person what should I do with my mail ballot?
All voters now receive mail ballots. If you want to vote at the polls, you can surrender your mail ballot and vote in-person at a voter service and polling center, anytime through election day.
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Do I need identification if I vote in person?
All voters who vote in-person must provide identification. While there are many forms of acceptable identification, most voters find it convenient to bring their Colorado driver’s license or Colorado ID. A Colorado ID is available at no cost to those who are eligible. For more information on obtaining a Colorado ID, please contact the Colorado Department of Revenue.
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When I vote and show an ID like my Colorado driver’s license, does the address on my ID need to match my voter registration?
If you show ID that has an address on it, the address must be in Colorado but it does not have to match your voter registration.
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If I am a new citizen, do I need to show proof of citizenship when I vote?
If you are registered to vote, you have already affirmed your citizenship and are not required to show proof when voting. Keep in mind that all voters are required to provide ID if they vote in person (and sometimes if they vote by mail). Please see the list of acceptable identification.
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Can I get time off from my job to vote?
Yes. By law, a voter may get time off without loss of pay if he or she does not have sufficient time outside of regular working hours to vote. See Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-7-102 for details.
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How can I find my polling location?
All general, primary, odd-year, coordinated, recall, and congressional vacancy elections are now conducted by mail ballot. But if you want to vote at a polling location, you can find your polling location by visiting Govotecolorado.com and reviewing your information.
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If I am voting by mail, when must the county clerk and recorder receive my ballot?
Mail ballots must be received by the county clerk and recorder no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters are encouraged to drop off ballots at designated drop off sites or mail their ballots in time to be received by the county clerk before the polls close. Postmarks do not count; ballots must be in the hands of the county clerk by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.
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Can people observe the voting process?
Many polling places will have poll watchers assigned to observe the voting process. Poll watchers are certified by political parties, unaffiliated candidates, and proponents and opponents of ballot questions. Poll watchers may observe the election process from before the polls open until after the election results are posted. However, poll watchers are not allowed to see how an individual votes.
—Information from Colorado Secretary of State Election Day FAQs.
Campaign Restrictions for State Employees:
As the 2019 election nears, please keep in mind that Colorado law prohibits state employees from using university resources to endorse or oppose an issue or candidate. Under the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act, state employees may not:
- Campaign while on the job
- Take a position on behalf of the university or any part of it
- Use the university's infrastructure including phone and e-mail to express political views.
Employees are free to campaign on their own time and expense. Again, be sure that your views are not represented as the university's or any part of it. For more information, read "Employee Participation in Political Activities" (PDF) prepared by the Division of Human Resources in the Department of Personnel & Administration.
To discuss further the statute or its requirements, please email Dan Satriana, vice president and General Counsel.
Other Information:
- Chief's Corner blog post on specific rules and laws to follow in order to hold the integrity of the election
process.
- UNC's Guide to First Amendment Rights on Campus (PDF) includes information on freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, distributing and posting
information, speech offensive to others and campus safety resources, and more.
- Absentee Ballot Information: Colorado law allows college students to keep their voter registration in their hometown
and vote by mail from college or to re-register in the jurisdiction where they're
attending school
Those registered to vote somewhere other than Weld County, and who wish to receive an absentee ballot, can request one from their home county at usvotefoundation.org. - Colorado Offices on the 2019 ballot (Ballotpedia.org) and initiative filings and agendas on 2019 ballot.
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