Election officials will start mailing ballots to voters on Friday, Oct. 11.
Here are things about who can and cannot vote in November’s general election.
Convicted felons cannot vote in Colorado
While some states do not allow individuals with felony records to vote, Colorado is one of 23 states that restore voting rights to convicted felons upon release from prison. Following the passage of a 2019 bill, parolees are also eligible to vote. However, individuals currently serving felony sentences are still ineligible to vote.
Incarcerated Coloradans are ineligible to vote
Individuals awaiting trial or serving a sentence for misdemeanors are eligible to vote in Colorado, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. People out on bond or on probation for misdemeanors can also vote, but they will need to re-register upon their release from jail or prison. It’s possible that elections databases may still indicate a person is incarcerated even if they’re out on bond or probation. In that case, individuals need to provide proof to their county’s elections department that they were properly released from jail or prison.
College students from out of state can’t vote in Colorado
College students from out of state have two options when it comes to voting. They can either file an absentee ballot in their home state using their home address or register to vote in Colorado using their school address.
You can register to vote in Colorado even if you’re already registered in another state, as long as you have lived in Colorado for at least 22 days.
You must be a U.S. citizen for a certain amount of time before you can vote in Colorado
As long as you’re a U.S. citizen and meet the state’s residency requirements, you can register to vote in Colorado, regardless of how long you’ve held your citizenship.
You can’t vote if you don’t have a driver’s license
You can vote in Colorado as long as you have some form of official identification, such as a passport or even a utility bill.
You have to be 18 to register to vote
Technically, this is untrue in Colorado. Seventeen-year-olds can register to vote, as long as they will be 18 by Election Day.
You need a permanent address to be able to vote in Colorado
Homeless people are eligible to vote in Colorado, as a permanent address is not required for registration. They would just need to provide a shelter or another reliable place of residence when registering to vote.
You can’t vote if you don’t bring your ID to the voting location
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, individuals who forget or don’t have a form of identification when casting their in-person ballot can still vote by filling out a provisional ballot affidavit. Once the affidavit is filed, the voter will receive a receipt explaining how to determine the status of their ballot.
You can’t register to vote on Election Day in Colorado
Colorado is one of 23 states that allow same-day registration, which means individuals can register to vote and cast their ballots in person on Election Day.
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