Special to the Surveyor

Voter Service and Polling Centers (VSPCs) across Colorado are now open statewide for the November 3 General Election, enabling Coloradans to vote or drop off their ballots in-person.  Already early voting in the state has been massive, with 641,271 ballots returned.

“Coloradans have been incredibly engaged this election, and we expect that will continue,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.  “This year, there are an additional 42 voting centers for the convenience of Colorado voters, for a grand total of 342 statewide.”

Drop boxes and VSPCs must be open today statewide, but some counties opened some drop boxes and VSPCs earlier.  This year, 383 drop boxes and 342 VSPCs are available statewide for Colorado voters, an increase from 2018 of over 42 VSPCs and more than 130 drop boxes. To find the nearest drop box or VSPC, voters can use a search tool located on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. For the first time, voters across the state can also track their ballots from when they are sent to when they are processed by signing up for BallotTrax at GoVoteColorado.gov.

For those who prefer to vote in-person, the Secretary of State issued election rules and guidance to help ensure voting in-person is as safe as possible, including PPE for poll workers and social distancing requirements.   The Secretary of State’s Office has helped provide counties PPE and will also reimburse counties for sick pay for poll workers.

Voted ballots must be received by county election officials by 7 p.m. on November 3.  After October 26, voters are encouraged to return their ballot to a dropbox or VSPC rather than by mail to ensure their ballot is received before the deadline.

It’s not too late to register to vote. To be mailed a ballot, please register by October 26. After that, eligible Coloradans can register and vote in-person through 7 p.m. on Election Day.

To register to vote, check your registration, or for election information, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.