By Randi Pierce
Staff Writer
Mail ballots for the Nov. 3 election will be mailed out beginning tomorrow, Oct. 9, and Archuleta County is seeing a rise in the number of registered voters who will receive those ballots.
Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder Kristy Archuleta explained that Archuleta County currently has about 10,200 registered voters, up from about 9,600 for June’s presidential primary.
“We’re seeing, definitely, an uptick,” she said, adding that Archuleta County will have to have three vote centers beginning next year.
To check or make changes to your voter registration, visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.
Ballot packets will automatically be sent to active, registered voters in Colorado beginning Friday.
You can register up to and including Election Day either in person or at GoVoteColorado.gov, though Archuleta pointed out Oct. 26 is the last day a ballot can be mailed.
This year’s ballot — which Archuleta noted is lengthy at 19 inches long, printed front and back — includes a number of county, state and federal offices, as well as 11 statewide ballot questions and judicial retention questions.
County offices included on the ballot are county commissioner for districts 1 and 2, as well as county surveyor.
State-level offices include the State Board of Education member for Congressional District 3, state representative for District 59 and the district attorney for the 6th Judicial District.
Federal offices include presidential electors, U.S. senator and congressional representative for District 3.
Registered voters within the Aspen Springs Metro District and Los Pinos Fire Protection District will each have an additional ballot issue concerning a proposed mill levy increase.
For more information on what is on the ballot, see the General Election Notice in this issue of The SUN.
For more information on the county commissioner candidates, see the Election Tracker, also in this issue of The SUN.
How to return your ballot
Signed and voted ballots can be returned via mail, to a drop box or to the Archuleta County Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC).
Ballots must be to the Election’s Office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count.
Beginning Oct. 19, the VSPC will be open at the Archuleta County Election’s Office at 449 San Juan St. and is accessible from the back of the courthouse.
Archuleta County also has two secure ballot drop boxes that are under 24/7 video surveillance: one near the flagpoles in front of the courthouse and the other at the TARA Community Center in Arboles.
If you prefer to vote at the polls, that can be done at the VSPC.
Archuleta noted that her office is discussing additional security for the drop boxes and the VSPC with both the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office and Pagosa Springs Police Department “just to ensure that everything’s going good.”
How to track your ballot
New this year, Colorado voters will be able to track their ballots.
According to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, to check the status of your mail ballot, visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov. Log in to your voter record, which will show whether your mail ballot has been mailed.
Archuleta noted that the site will also show you when your ballot has been received, and noted that if your ballot has been rejected for something like a signature discrepancy, you will be notified.
VSPC hours
The Archuleta County VSPC will be open Oct. 19 through Nov. 3 for the general election.
The center is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will be open a pair of Saturdays — Oct. 24 and 31 — from 8 a.m. until noon.
The VSPC will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.
Archuleta pointed out that anyone going to the VSPC will have to have a face covering and adhere to social distancing.
She also pointed out that longer wait times can be expected due to the length of the ballot.
Archuleta added a reminder that there is no electioneering within 100 feet of the courthouse, regardless of what business you are conducting in the courthouse, which includes clothing items, buttons and hats with candidate names.
The Election’s Office can be reached at 264-8331.
