Voter Toolkit

To register to vote in Colorado, you must be:

• A citizen of the United States
• A Colorado resident for at least 22 days before the election you’d like to participate in
• At least 16 years old to register, but you must be at least 17 years old to vote in a primary election and 18 years old to vote in other elections                                   
• Not be serving a sentence of detention or confinement for a felony conviction 

There are three primary ways to register to vote in Colorado:

• Online at www.GoVoteColorado.gov with a valid state driver’s license or state issued ID card from the Colorado Department of Revenue.
• With a printable registration form that is available at the Secretary of State's website, the county clerk and recorder's office, and federal post offices. Completed forms can be mailed, faxed, or scanned and sent through email to your county clerk and recorder's office.
• In-person at a voter registration drive or at one of the following locations:
  • Colorado Department of Motor Vehicle offices when you apply for a driver's license or are updating your driver's license information
  • Public assistance offices
  • Recruitment offices for the U.S. armed forces 
  • Additional federal, state, or local government office or any non government office that chooses to provide voter registration service or applications
  • A county voter service and polling center

To view your voter registration information and/or make any updates to your registration including name changes, party affiliation changes, and contact information changes, visit Go Vote Colorado on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. 

In Colorado you can register to vote through Election Day if you plan to vote in-person. To receive a mail ballot in Colorado, you will need to:

• Register to vote or update your voter registration at least eight days before Election Day
• Submit a voter registration application at any of the approved locations mentioned earlier at least eight days before Election Day
• Submit an application through a voter registration drive no later than 22 days before Election Day

A key part of voting is doing your research to find out more about the candidates and issues you’ll be considering. Here are just a few of the ways you can get informed about what’s on your ballot to get you started:

• Colorado Ballot Information Guide (Blue Book): The purpose of the Colorado Ballot Information Guide, more commonly referred to as the “Blue Book,'' is to provide Colorado voters with the text of each initiated or referred constitutional amendment, law, or question on the ballot, as well as an impartial analysis of the proposed measures. Each analysis includes a summary of the proposed measure, the pros and cons of passing the measure, and a brief overview of the potential fiscal impact if passed. English and Spanish versions are sent directly to voters via mail and are also accessible here. Many counties also produce similar voter guides to the Blue Book.
• Sample Ballots: Many counties provide sample ballots prior to the election to give you a preview of what you’ll be voting on that election cycle. You can find the links to each county’s clerk and recorder office which would provide the sample ballots on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website.
• Candidate and issue websites and social media: Most candidates and issue campaigns have individual web pages and social media accounts with information on the background of the candidate or issue, specifics about the policy positions of the candidate or policy behind a ballot measure, as well as endorsements.
• In-person events and forums: Attending candidate forums, debates, and election information sessions in your community can be a helpful way to connect with the people behind the platforms while comparing and contrasting candidates. 
• Local news, radio, and television: Knowing how a candidate plans to represent your area or how a ballot measure can impact your community is critical information to inform your voting. Local news, radio, and television can provide helpful insights on how candidates and issues fit into your local context.

To ensure your vote is counted, keep the following deadlines in mind: 

• Mail-in: Ballots must be postmarked eight days before Election Day.
• In-person: The deadline to vote in-person is 7:00 PM on Election Day.

If you plan to vote in-person at a polling center, you must have an approved form of identification. The following documents are acceptable forms of identification per Section 1-1-104(19.5), C.R.S., Secretary of State Rule 2.3: 

• 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.                    

The following documents are also considered acceptable forms of identification for voting:

• 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.
• Written correspondence from the county sheriff or his or her designee to the county clerk indicating that a voter is confined in a county jail or detention facility.

See Appendix A of our Voter and Election Toolkit for links to each county’s in-person polling location and drop-box locations for mail ballots. You can also visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov to locate your nearest voting center. 

For more information on voting accessibility resources, click here.

The BallotTrax system tracks and sends email or text notifications of the status of your mail ballot from when it’s mailed to you to when it’s been counted. Sign up for BallotTrax here.

To help voters in Colorado provide additional information necessary to resolve problems with their mail ballots and ensure the votes get counted, the Colorado Secretary of State provides the TXT2Cure system. To utilize TXT2Cure, text the word "COLORADO" to the number 28683 and follow the prompts for “Cure My Ballot."