Denver Election Q&A Fact-Checker
Q: If I may respectfully ask, is each ballot that is received, confirmed as well? No duplicates, no people who are registered in another city/county/state, no deceased people, etc...?
A: Elections are run by bipartisan teams of individuals who put country before party to run free and fair elections. Our teams collect ballots from our drop boxes and voter service and polling sites and they are brought back to our building. They then go through prepping, sorting, and verification of signature. We check every received ballot against our voter rolls, which are maintained daily. If someone has passed away, for example, we get a notification from CDPHE and update our voter rolls accordingly, effectively cancelling that voter's registration. This makes them ineligible to vote, if they've been issued a ballot, their ballot is voided. If we happen to receive a ballot for them, their ballot will be rejected. The matter will then be referred to the District Attorney's office.
Q: I got a letter about an undelivered ballot. Why was this sent to me? Is it because of my party affiliation?
If you recently received a notice from our office about an undeliverable ballot it’s because the United States Postal Service returned your Primary Election mail ballot to us as undeliverable. This usually means the address we have on file in your voter record needs attention. When a voter’s ballot is returned to us as undeliverable, Colorado law requires that we send the voter a notice asking them to either confirm or update their address. This is one method we use to keep our voter rolls up to date. If you need to update your voter registration address, you can do that here. Ballots for the November General Election will be sent to voters on October 11, 2024.
Q: Can I vote if I’ve been arrested?
Yes, you can still register to vote if you’ve been arrested and are awaiting trial.
Q: Can I vote if I am in jail?
It depends. If you’re serving a sentence for a misdemeanor or are awaiting pre-trial sentencing, you can register to vote.
Q: Can I vote if I have a past felony?
If you’ve completed the sentence for a past felony, you can register to vote. If you are still completing your sentencing, you can register when you are released from your felony.
Q: Can I vote if I have a past felony in a different state?
Voter registration varies state to state. In Colorado, you can still register to vote, regardless of the state in which you were convicted.
Q: I owe restitution, can I register to vote?
Yes, you can register to vote.
Q: I am living in a shelter. Can I register to vote if I don’t have an address?
You can register to vote using the address you’re currently staying, whether it be a shelter, hotel, or friend’s house.
Q: I am living in my car, can I register to vote?
Yes, you can register to vote. Use the nearest intersection where you’re staying. You will need to include a mailing address of a location where you regularly visit so you can pick up your ballot when it's mailed. You can also register to vote and vote in person on the same day.
Q: Can undocumented individuals vote in the election?
No, non-citizens are unable to vote in U.S. Elections. Individuals who become naturalized citizens can register to vote after obtaining citizenship.
Q: What happens if you find out an undocumented person voted?
There are state and federal laws prohibiting people from voting which could result in imprisonment, removal of eligibility to become a citizen and deportation from the United States.
Q: What is the legal voting age in Colorado?
You can vote once you turn 18, however, you can pre-register to vote when you turn 16.
Q: Why don’t you know the results immediately at 7 p.m. on Election Day?
Denver has more than 560,000 registered voters, and voter turnout is typically more than 85% in a presidential election. About 40% of ballots come in on Election Day, and 75% of those come in after polls close and initial results are reported at 7 p.m. With this year’s 3-page double-sided ballot, that means we will have at least 480,000 pages to pick up and process after polls close. We prioritize accuracy over speed. We will post unofficial results as ballots are counted throughout Election Night and for up to eight days after, when the official results are finalized.
Q: Why are ballots mailed out almost one month before the election?
In Colorado, people can vote by mail or drop box in the weeks leading up to the election. Ballots are mailed out nearly one month before election day, giving voters ample time to get their votes counted. We have 45 drop boxes and 39 voter service and polling sites across the city, giving voters access to cast their votes early.
Q: Will my other votes be counted if I choose not to vote on a candidate or question?
If you choose to only return one page of a multi-page ballot, only the votes returned to our office will be counted.
Q: What types of identification can I use to vote?
Colorado accepts specific types of ID in order to vote. You can see all acceptable forms of ID here.
Q: We are leaving the country on October 18, 2024 and won't be back in Denver until November 8, 2024. Will ballots be received by mail by October 17, or should we request absentee ballots?
Ballots will be mailed out on October 11. You should receive your ballot in time to vote before you leave for your trip. If you don't receive it by October 17, you can go to our McNichols Building Voter Service and Polling site to vote in-person between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. If you'd like to change your address to the location where you will be visiting, you can learn more about requesting a UOCAVA ballot.
Q: If I accidentally sign my spouse's ballot return envelope, and my spouse signs mine, do we need new envelopes?
Denver Elections has a process called "household swap." Our ballot processing teams will identify the issue during the signature verification process, and if both people reside at the same address based on their voter registration, a sticker will indicate the ballot signatures need to be swapped. The ballots will then be moved on to counting and tabulation.
Q: How do college students get their ballots?
Students who live on campus can register to vote (or update their voter registration) using their college residential address. Students can update their registration to add a mailing address to receive their mail ballot at a temporary address. P.O. boxes cannot be used as a residential address for purposes of voting; a P.O. box can be used, however, as a mailing address.
Q: I will be leaving town around October 1 and will be gone for about 6 weeks, returning around November 15. How do I request an absentee ballot?
You can request a UOCAVA ballot here, which will allow you to cast your vote from another location.
Q: I am a Denver resident and registered voter. I am leaving the country early on Oct. 15, 2024 and will be gone until mid-November. How can I vote prior to departing?
Early voting begins in our office on September 23, so the person leaving for their trip can do that. They also have the option of adding a mailing/ballot address to their registration to receive their mail ballot at a temporary address, if they're staying in one location while away.
Q: I am scheduled to be a naturalized US Citizen in late September 2024. Once through the naturalization process, how do I go about registering to vote in the November General Election?
If your September ceremony is at the City and County Building, the Denver Elections Engagement team will have a table set up to register new citizens. If your ceremony is at the Centennial office, non-partisan voter registration organizations will usually be in attendance and can register you immediately after your ceremony. You can also visit this website to register online.