Be honest: Does anybody actually like reading about local elections?
It's hard enough getting Coloradans to cast their ballots, with just 30 percent of eligible voters sending in their election choices as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, November 7, according to the Colorado Secretary of State website, and fewer than 9,000 people voting in person out of the nearly four million state residents who are registered (including Peyton Manning). So we're going to keep things short and sweet.
We've compiled an "Idiot's Guide" to Election Day in Colorado, complete with all the things that procrastinators need to know about voting in the Centennial State and who's running.
Don't worry: We're not here to waste your time.
HOW TO VOTE
Registered voters can vote in person today until 7 p.m. and must drop off their mail-in ballots by this time as well. Ballots were sent out last month.
If you mailed in your ballot, it should have been done at least eight days ago to ensure it arrives on time today.
In Denver, voters can take their ballots to one of the city's 43 drop boxes or Voter Service and Polling Centers and drive-thrus. Locations are available at DenverVotes.org/VoterInfo.
Anyone who manages to get in line before 7 p.m. to vote will be able to cast their ballot, according to state officials. They can also get a new ballot if they lost one.
Fun fact: Colorado is one of 22 states that allows same-day registration (SDR), which lets people register to vote and cast a ballot all at once on Election Day. Residents are required to show a Colorado driver’s license or an ID card issued by the Department of Revenue, or provide the last four digits of their Social Security number. A voter who does not have any of these is asked to indicate that on their registration form.
Voters are also required to complete and sign a self-affirmation and affidavit. Don't forget your signature!
WHAT ARE WE VOTING FOR?
There are several different races and issues on the ballot this November, including two statewide measures: Proposition HH, to reduce property taxes and enact voter-approved revenue change; and Proposition II, to allow the state to keep extra revenue after boosting taxes on cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine products.
School board races are going down in Denver, Aurora and other places across the state.
Mayoral elections are happening in Aurora and multiple cities in Jefferson County.
A Denver City Council-referred measure — Referred Question 2P (Denver Preschool Program) — is also on the ballot this year, along with TABOR questions for voters in the Denargo Market Metropolitan District No. 2 that are related specifically to that area.
In Aurora, residents are voting in both mayoral and city council races, as well as for four local ballot measures. They include a referred measure amending the city charter to replace gender-specific terms with gender-neutral nouns; a measure calling for changes to the probationary period for police officers and firefighters and the police promotion consideration process; a measure designed to clarify the manner in which the police and fire departments are constituted regarding hiring, promotion and training of lateral entry police and fire candidates; and a measure that calls for an increase to the number of authorized police division and deputy chiefs officers, along with the clarification that the deputy chiefs and commanders are exempted from civil service membership.
The mayoral battle sees Mayor Mike Coffman going head to head with councilmember Juan Marcano and self-described "visionary leader" Jeffrey Sanford.
The city's at-large city council seat features incumbent Curtis Gardner facing off with candidates Alison Coombs, Thomas Mayes and Jono Scott. The race for Ward IV is between challengers Jonathan Gray and Stephanie Hancock; Ward V pits two more newbies against each other, Angela Lawson and Chris Rhodes; Ward VI sees incumbent Francoise Bergan taking on Brian Matise.
In Jefferson County, numerous candidates are running for various political positions, including mayor in Arvada, Golden, Edgewater and Lakewood.
Arvada residents will be deciding between local business owner John Marriott and city council member Lauren Simpson for mayor. The Edgewater mayoral race pits city council member Steve Conklin against write-in candidate Cassidy Binder.
In Golden, current Mayor Laura Weinberg is facing off with military veteran Joe MacDonald, former Golden Civic Foundation exec Heather Schneider, Golden City Brewery founder Charles Sturdavant and self-described "civil leader" Waquim Filsaime.
In Lakewood, Mayor Adam Paul is term-limited and will be giving up his post to one of three candidates: financial planner Wendi Storm, pastor and real-estate broker Don Burkhart or Jeffco teacher Cathy Kentner.
It's hard enough getting Coloradans to cast their ballots, with just 30 percent of eligible voters sending in their election choices as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, November 7, according to the Colorado Secretary of State website, and fewer than 9,000 people voting in person out of the nearly four million state residents who are registered (including Peyton Manning). So we're going to keep things short and sweet.
We've compiled an "Idiot's Guide" to Election Day in Colorado, complete with all the things that procrastinators need to know about voting in the Centennial State and who's running.
Don't worry: We're not here to waste your time.
HOW TO VOTE
Registered voters can vote in person today until 7 p.m. and must drop off their mail-in ballots by this time as well. Ballots were sent out last month.If you mailed in your ballot, it should have been done at least eight days ago to ensure it arrives on time today.
In Denver, voters can take their ballots to one of the city's 43 drop boxes or Voter Service and Polling Centers and drive-thrus. Locations are available at DenverVotes.org/VoterInfo.
Anyone who manages to get in line before 7 p.m. to vote will be able to cast their ballot, according to state officials. They can also get a new ballot if they lost one.
Fun fact: Colorado is one of 22 states that allows same-day registration (SDR), which lets people register to vote and cast a ballot all at once on Election Day. Residents are required to show a Colorado driver’s license or an ID card issued by the Department of Revenue, or provide the last four digits of their Social Security number. A voter who does not have any of these is asked to indicate that on their registration form.
Voters are also required to complete and sign a self-affirmation and affidavit. Don't forget your signature!
WHAT ARE WE VOTING FOR?
There are several different races and issues on the ballot this November, including two statewide measures: Proposition HH, to reduce property taxes and enact voter-approved revenue change; and Proposition II, to allow the state to keep extra revenue after boosting taxes on cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine products.School board races are going down in Denver, Aurora and other places across the state.
Mayoral elections are happening in Aurora and multiple cities in Jefferson County.
A Denver City Council-referred measure — Referred Question 2P (Denver Preschool Program) — is also on the ballot this year, along with TABOR questions for voters in the Denargo Market Metropolitan District No. 2 that are related specifically to that area.
WHO ARE WE VOTING FOR?
In Denver, all eyes are on the school board candidates.
Eight people are running for the three seats, with two of the races — District 1 and District 5 — featuring incumbents. The District 5 election sees incumbent Charmaine Lindsay taking on Marlene De La Rosa and Adam Slutzker; District 1 features a two-horse race between incumbent Scott Baldermann and Kimberlee Sia.
The at-large seat has three people vying for it: Brittni Johnson, Kwame Spearman and John Youngquist.
Eight people are running for the three seats, with two of the races — District 1 and District 5 — featuring incumbents. The District 5 election sees incumbent Charmaine Lindsay taking on Marlene De La Rosa and Adam Slutzker; District 1 features a two-horse race between incumbent Scott Baldermann and Kimberlee Sia.
The at-large seat has three people vying for it: Brittni Johnson, Kwame Spearman and John Youngquist.
In Aurora, residents are voting in both mayoral and city council races, as well as for four local ballot measures. They include a referred measure amending the city charter to replace gender-specific terms with gender-neutral nouns; a measure calling for changes to the probationary period for police officers and firefighters and the police promotion consideration process; a measure designed to clarify the manner in which the police and fire departments are constituted regarding hiring, promotion and training of lateral entry police and fire candidates; and a measure that calls for an increase to the number of authorized police division and deputy chiefs officers, along with the clarification that the deputy chiefs and commanders are exempted from civil service membership.
The mayoral battle sees Mayor Mike Coffman going head to head with councilmember Juan Marcano and self-described "visionary leader" Jeffrey Sanford.
The city's at-large city council seat features incumbent Curtis Gardner facing off with candidates Alison Coombs, Thomas Mayes and Jono Scott. The race for Ward IV is between challengers Jonathan Gray and Stephanie Hancock; Ward V pits two more newbies against each other, Angela Lawson and Chris Rhodes; Ward VI sees incumbent Francoise Bergan taking on Brian Matise.
In Jefferson County, numerous candidates are running for various political positions, including mayor in Arvada, Golden, Edgewater and Lakewood.
Arvada residents will be deciding between local business owner John Marriott and city council member Lauren Simpson for mayor. The Edgewater mayoral race pits city council member Steve Conklin against write-in candidate Cassidy Binder.
In Golden, current Mayor Laura Weinberg is facing off with military veteran Joe MacDonald, former Golden Civic Foundation exec Heather Schneider, Golden City Brewery founder Charles Sturdavant and self-described "civil leader" Waquim Filsaime.
In Lakewood, Mayor Adam Paul is term-limited and will be giving up his post to one of three candidates: financial planner Wendi Storm, pastor and real-estate broker Don Burkhart or Jeffco teacher Cathy Kentner.
