This year, a clean election not only means no fraud but also no spreading of COVID19.
To ensure that, Colorado election officials released a guideline last week for in-person and drive-through voting in the June 30 Statewide Primary.
As the virus will likely remain in Colorado for the rest of 2020, the General Election in November could be conducted using the same Primary-Election guidelines.
For in-person voting, the Colorado Secretary of State’s guidance for county election officials states that voters should remain at least six feet apart at all times, and the venues will install guides to help you do so.
Wearing face masks and latex gloves is encouraged. (Learn how to wear one effectively here.)
Secondly, the voting centers and their equipment will be deep cleaned with sanitizers and wipes The centers will provide disposable pens to voters should they need one.
Alternative voting methods are suggested, such as drive-through and electronic ballots for those who are unable to receive their ballot through the mail and are unable to vote in-person.
Counties are encouraged to provide drive-through options for voters to check-in, receive and drop off a ballot, as well as pick-up their voter registration form.
For those who had not received their ballots through the mail and have missed the deadline to request a replacement ballot, they may be eligible for a paper or electronic emergency ballot. This includes those and those whose relatives will be confined in a hospital or residential home on Election Day. It also includes those who are unable to vote in person due to an emergency condition, including natural disasters and real or perceived concerns of voting during COVID19.
However, those who are not present in the state and cannot be mailed a replacement ballot will not be eligible for a paper or electronic emergency ballot.
To have a paper ballot picked up and delivered by an authorized representative, the voter must fill in an Emergency Replacement Ballot Application form. To submit an electronic ballot, the voter can do so through the Democracy Live site. However, the state advises that voters exhaust all other voting options before trying the electronic ballot.
An emergency ballot request must be made before 5 p.m. on Election Day.
Nevertheless, voters are strongly encouraged to mail in their ballots, as it is the safest way to prevent the spread of COVID19.
Ballots will be sent to every active registered voter starting on June 8. You can visit Go Vote Colorado to check and update your voter information.
“Colorado’s elections are the country’s gold standard, and this health crisis will not change that,” said Jena Griswold, Colorado’s Secretary of State.
For other questions and concerns, visit https://www.sos.state.co.us/.
