Ballots for the Nov. 4 General Election are now in the hands of registered Archuleta County voters, with nearly 400 voters having returned their ballots by earlier this week.
As it has previously done, Archuleta County is conducting the election as a mail ballot election, with ballots mailed the week of Oct. 14.
Following is additional information related to voting in the election.
Still need to register?
For those who still need to register to vote, the deadline to register and have a ballot mailed to you is Oct. 28.
Individuals can register, however, up to and including Nov. 4. If a voter registers beyond Oct. 28, whether online at www.govotecolorado.com or in person, he or she will have to pick up a ballot from the Archuleta County Voting Service and Polling Center in the Archuleta County Election’s Office, located downstairs in the back of the courthouse at 449 San Juan Street (U.S. 160).
The center will also deal with early, absentee and replacement ballots.
To register, individuals need an acceptable ID. Any form of identification that shows your address must show a Colorado address to qualify as an acceptable form of identification.
According to the Colorado secretary of state’s website, acceptable forms of ID include the following:
• A valid Colorado driver’s license or identification card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue.
• A valid U.S. passport.
• A valid employee identification card with photo of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the U.S. government, Colorado or by any county, municipality, board, authority or other political subdivision of Colorado.
• A valid pilot’s license issue by the FAA or other authorized agency of the U.S.
• A valid U.S. military ID with a photo 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.
• A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate for the elector.
• A 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.
• A valid veteran identification card with photo that is issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration.
• A valid identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government certifying tribal membership.
According to the SOS website, the following documents are also considered acceptable forms of identification for voting purposes:
• Verification that a voter is a resident of a group residential facility, as defined in section 1-1-104(18.5) of the Colorado Revised Statutes.
• Verification that a voter is a person committed to the Department of Human Services and confined and eligible to register and vote.
The website also notes that the following two forms of ID are not acceptable and, therefore, will not be accepted:
• 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 in state statute.
• Any document produced by Colorado’s statewide voter registration system.
Too, the website states: “All voters who vote at the polls must provide identification. If you are voting by mail for the first time, you may also need to provide a photocopy of your identification when you return your mail ballot.”
Turning in voted ballots
Voted ballots may be mailed back, dropped off in the Election’s Office or in the Motor Vehicle Office upstairs in the courthouse. All ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Nov. 4. Postmarks will not count.
On Election Day, the Election’s Office will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder June Madrid said the Election’s Office has been fielding calls with concerns over the required postage to return a ballot due to information coming from Denver news stations.
Madrid said that Archuleta County ballots require only one stamp to be mailed, explaining that Denver’s ballots are likely larger and therefore require more postage.
Madrid said ballots are already filtering back in to the Election’s Office, with almost 400 ballots returned by Tuesday morning.
Early voting
In-person, early voting is also taking place in the Election’s Office.
Office hours for early voting are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning Oct. 14 and ending Nov. 4.
The center will also be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1.
