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Who may appoint poll watchers?

Appointing authorities should fill out the Poll Watcher Appointment Request Form(XLSX, 368KB) listing those people they wish to give poll watcher status to and the Voter Service and Polling Center or Ballot Processing area where they will be assigned. Email the completed spreadsheet to elections@denvergov.org.

Submit these lists as early as possible. Processing of poll watcher certificates starts about two weeks prior to an election. Do not wait until the last minute to submit your list.

All names on your appointment list will be checked for voter registration status. Appointment Certificates will then be created and emailed to you. 

Carefully read the state statute and Colorado Secretary of State rules regarding poll watchers. Close family members (by blood or marriage) are prohibited from being poll watchers for a candidate in the precincts where they are on the ballot. Consult the Table of Consanguinity below. The yellow boxes denote prohibited family members.

• Colorado Statute on Poll Watchers
• Colorado Secretary of State Rules on Poll Watchers
• SOS Table of Consanguinity(PDF, 13KB)

• If appointed by a party, poll watchers must be affiliated with that party or unaffiliated.
• If selected by an unaffiliated candidate, poll watchers must be unaffiliated.
• Ballot measure opponents and proponents must be registered as such with the Colorado Secretary of State if a state ballot issue, or with the Denver Clerk and Recorder if a local issue.
• Watchers need not be registered to vote in the county where they are watching, but must be registered to vote within Colorado.
• Candidates and family members may not be poll watchers in the precincts where the candidate is running for office (see SOS Table of Consanguinity(PDF, 13KB)).

Upon visiting a Voter Service and Polling Center or Ballot Processing Center, poll watchers must present a completed and signed Appointment Certificate to the supervisor. When the certificate is presented, the supervisor will administer the poll watcher oath. Both the supervisor and poll watcher must then sign the oath on the certificate.