Everything you need to know to vote in the 2016 General Election in Colorado

DENVER – State and local election authorities began mailing ballots out to registered Colorado voters Monday ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

In Colorado, every registered voter will receive a mail ballot, but those mail ballots can be surrendered if someone decides to vote in-person at a polling center instead.

Both major presidential campaigns on Monday sent out statements urging Coloradans to vote for their respective candidates. The Clinton and Trump campaigns each also had surrogates campaigning in the state Monday.

Through Oct. 3, state records showed 3,125,919 people were registered to vote in the state.

WHEN DO I NEED TO REGISTER BY?

People are eligible to vote if they are at least 18 years old on Nov. 8; are a U.S. citizen; have lived in Colorado for at least 22 days before the election date; and are not serving a jail or prison sentence for a felony conviction. Felons can vote pending completion of their parole and people on probation can vote, though ex-offenders are encouraged to re-register.

In Colorado, people can register to vote all the way up to on Election Day, but there are some restrictions.

People who have a Colorado ID or driver’s license can register online by clicking here. A mail-in application is available at the same link.

Anyone who uses either the online or mail-in registration tool at least eight days before the election will receive a mail-in ballot. Be sure to sign your envelope the ballot is returned in.

Mail-in ballots are required to be received by your local county clerk at or before 7 p.m. Nov. 8. The USPS and Secretary of State’s Office both advise voters mail in their ballots by Nov. 1 to ensure it is delivered on time.

If you register within the eight days prior to the election, you will be registered, but will have to visit a state service or polling center in order to get a ballot.

There are also further restrictions for those who register through a voter drive: anyone who registered through a drive must do so at least 22 days before the election or you won’t receive a mail-in ballot. This means Monday, being 22 days before the election, is the last day to sign up through a voter drive.

If you wish to register on Election Day, you’ll have to do so at a polling place. Anyone who votes or registers to vote if they are ineligible faces a fine of up to $5,000, up to 18 months in jail, or both.

WHAT CAN I DO/WHAT WILL I NEED ON ELECTION DAY?

The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Monday sought to tamp down notions made by Donald Trump that the election will be “rigged” and that there will be widespread voter fraud, noting extensive precautions taken by the office and county clerk’s offices around the state to prevent fraud.

Colorado law prohibits any campaigning within 100 feet of a polling place in order to stop electioneering and voter intimidation. Voters are also barred from wearing any memorabilia for a candidate or party.

There will be poll watchers at some voting locations. Those people are certified by political parties, unaffiliated candidates and both proponents and opponents of certain ballot questions.

Anyone voting at the polls will have to bring forms of identification, and people voting by mail for the first time may need to provide a photocopy of their identification when mailing back their ballot, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Per the office, these are the acceptable forms of ID that can be used in voting:

• A valid Colorado driver’s license or valid identification card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue. (Note:  documents issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S. are not acceptable forms of identification.)
• A valid U.S. passport.
• A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government or of Colorado, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of Colorado.
• A valid pilot’s license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the U.S.
• A valid U.S. military identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector.
• A copy of a current (within the last 60 days) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector.
• A Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaskan Native Blood.
• A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
• A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate for the elector.
• Certified documentation of naturalization.
• A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an institute of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102(5), C.R.S..
• A valid veteran identification card issued by the U.S. department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration with a photograph of the eligible elector.
• A valid identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government certifying tribal membership.
• Any form of identification listed above that shows your address must show a Colorado address to qualify as an acceptable form of identification.
• Verification that a voter is a resident of a group residential facility, as defined in section 1-1-104(18.5), C.R.S.
• Verification that a voter is a person committed to the department of human services and confined and eligible to register and vote shall be considered sufficient identification of such person for the purposes of section 1-2-210.5, C.R.S.

These forms of ID are not acceptable:

• A driver’s license or identification card issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S.
• Any document produced by Colorado’s statewide voter registration system.

MORE HELPFUL LINKS

To register to vote online, find whether or not you’re already registered, withdraw your registration or change your name on your voter registration, click here.

Find your county election office and county clerk here. Some county sample ballots are available on the county clerks’ websites.

Find your election fact sheet from the Secretary of State’s Office here. Frequently asked questions about the election can be found here.

For more information on election rules and laws, and further resources, click here.

Ballotpedia has compiled a large list of all the statewide races and ballot measures for Nov. 8. Click here to view.