MAIL BALLOT MAIL BALLOT ELECTIONELECTION

How Vote by Mail How Vote by Mail WorksWorks Step 1 - The voter receives their Step 1 - The voter receives their

ballot in the mail approximately 2 ballot in the mail approximately 2 weeks before Election Day.weeks before Election Day.

Step 2Step 2

The voter fills out the ballot in the The voter fills out the ballot in the comfort of their own home, office comfort of their own home, office or other place of their choosing.or other place of their choosing.

Step 3Step 3

The voter places their completed The voter places their completed ballot in the secrecy envelope ballot in the secrecy envelope provided.provided.

Step 4Step 4

The voter places the secrecy The voter places the secrecy envelope in the return envelope.envelope in the return envelope.

Step 5Step 5

A Statement on the envelope warns A Statement on the envelope warns the voter that under penalty of perjury the voter that under penalty of perjury to sign the ballot return envelope with to sign the ballot return envelope with intent to cast any vote except by the intent to cast any vote except by the enclosed ballot that is absolutely the enclosed ballot that is absolutely the voters ballot, is in violation of the voters ballot, is in violation of the “Uniform Election Code of 1992”.“Uniform Election Code of 1992”.

It also states that voting more than It also states that voting more than once in the same election is a crime.once in the same election is a crime.

Step 6Step 6

The voter returns the ballot to The voter returns the ballot to their County Elections office by their County Elections office by mail, in person or by dropping it mail, in person or by dropping it off at an official ballot drop site.off at an official ballot drop site.

Step 7Step 7

Election judges scan the barcode, Election judges scan the barcode, which is unique to each voter, on which is unique to each voter, on the back of the return envelope.the back of the return envelope.

This helps track which voters This helps track which voters have returned their ballots.have returned their ballots.

Step 8Step 8

Election judges who are trained in Election judges who are trained in signature matching compare the signature matching compare the signature on the back of the signature on the back of the ballot return envelope with the ballot return envelope with the signature on the voter’s signature on the voter’s registration card.registration card.

If the signatures do not match, If the signatures do not match, the voter is then sent a letter the voter is then sent a letter advising them how to correct the advising them how to correct the discrepancy.discrepancy.

Step 8 Contd.Step 8 Contd.

Step 9Step 9

In order to maintain the secrecy In order to maintain the secrecy of each ballot, election judges of each ballot, election judges composed of mixed political party composed of mixed political party membership, remove and membership, remove and separate the secrecy sleeve (with separate the secrecy sleeve (with ballot inside) from the ballot ballot inside) from the ballot return envelopes.return envelopes.

Step 9 Contd. Step 9 Contd.

In the second stage of the In the second stage of the process, the same election judges process, the same election judges remove and separate the ballot remove and separate the ballot from the secrecy sleeve.from the secrecy sleeve.

Step 10Step 10

The ballots are tallied.The ballots are tallied.

All ballots are tallied by central All ballots are tallied by central count tally machines.count tally machines.

Step 11Step 11

If the ballot is not machine readable e.g. there are If the ballot is not machine readable e.g. there are extraneous marks, the ballot will be rejected by the extraneous marks, the ballot will be rejected by the machine.machine.

The Election Judges will then inspect the ballot for The Election Judges will then inspect the ballot for voter intent. voter intent.

The ballot is then duplicated accordingly.The ballot is then duplicated accordingly.

Decisions about voter intent are guided by provisions Decisions about voter intent are guided by provisions in Colorado’s Revised Statues.in Colorado’s Revised Statues.

Benefits of Vote by Benefits of Vote by MailMail• Vote by mail elections can increase turnout by four to five Vote by mail elections can increase turnout by four to five

percentage points in general elections and significantly percentage points in general elections and significantly more in local or off-year elections. more in local or off-year elections.

• As well as stimulating participation among citizens who As well as stimulating participation among citizens who

never vote, it appears that the added convenience of voting never vote, it appears that the added convenience of voting by mail serves also to retain higher participation among by mail serves also to retain higher participation among those voters who tend to vote in general elections by those voters who tend to vote in general elections by making it easier for them to vote in traditionally lower-making it easier for them to vote in traditionally lower-interest local, special, or nonpartisan elections.interest local, special, or nonpartisan elections.

• There is a longer time period between the date of voters There is a longer time period between the date of voters receiving initial ballot and the actual election day. receiving initial ballot and the actual election day.

• If a ballot is damaged, lost or not received, there is ample If a ballot is damaged, lost or not received, there is ample time to establish communication between the Election Office time to establish communication between the Election Office and a voter. A replacement ballot may then be issued with and a voter. A replacement ballot may then be issued with sufficient time for completion.sufficient time for completion.

Benefits of Vote by Benefits of Vote by MailMail

• Among the other benefits of mail balloting are a Among the other benefits of mail balloting are a reduction in logistical problems associated with in-reduction in logistical problems associated with in-person voting on Election Day. person voting on Election Day.

• A reduction in poll-worker requirements (including A reduction in poll-worker requirements (including cost), increased opportunities to conduct voter cost), increased opportunities to conduct voter mobilization, minimizing the appeal of last-minute mobilization, minimizing the appeal of last-minute attack ads.attack ads.

• The potential to save both time and money, and The potential to save both time and money, and deterring fraud more efficiently than photo-ID deterring fraud more efficiently than photo-ID requirements used with in-person polling.requirements used with in-person polling.

• People have more time to thoroughly study issues and People have more time to thoroughly study issues and candidates before marking their ballot in elections candidates before marking their ballot in elections conducted by mail.conducted by mail.

• Ballot auditing (Canvass) is immensely simpler due to Ballot auditing (Canvass) is immensely simpler due to less hands involved in keeping track of ballot usage and less hands involved in keeping track of ballot usage and inventory.inventory.

Benefits of Vote by Benefits of Vote by MailMail Voting by mail costs about 77 % less Voting by mail costs about 77 % less

then previous polling place elections.then previous polling place elections.

Voting by mail has built-in safeguards Voting by mail has built-in safeguards that increase the integrity of the that increase the integrity of the elections process.elections process.

There is no evidence that voting by There is no evidence that voting by mail directly impacts one political mail directly impacts one political party over another.party over another.

Benefits of Vote by Benefits of Vote by MailMail The signature verification process, The signature verification process,

the tracking system for each ballot, the tracking system for each ballot, and postal services cooperation in and postal services cooperation in preventing ballots from being preventing ballots from being delivered to names not recognized delivered to names not recognized as receiving mail at an address, as receiving mail at an address, reduce the risk of large scale reduce the risk of large scale attempts to cast fraudulent ballots. attempts to cast fraudulent ballots.

FactsFacts

CRS 1-8-1-4.5CRS 1-8-1-4.5 became law on  became law on June 1, 2007 and allowed the June 1, 2007 and allowed the registered electors of Colorado to registered electors of Colorado to automatically vote by mail for automatically vote by mail for every election every election (become (become permanent mail-in voters)permanent mail-in voters) until the elector changes their until the elector changes their voting preference.voting preference.

FactsFacts

All registered voters within the district/s All registered voters within the district/s involved in the 2009 Coordinated Election involved in the 2009 Coordinated Election will receive a mail ballot.  will receive a mail ballot. 

In the past it would have been only active In the past it would have been only active registered voters, thus franchising a greater registered voters, thus franchising a greater number of potential voters.number of potential voters.

As of now (7/13/09) there are currently As of now (7/13/09) there are currently 31,995 PMIV’s which is 31% of all registered 31,995 PMIV’s which is 31% of all registered voters.voters.

There are also 210 UOCAVA voters that can There are also 210 UOCAVA voters that can be factored on top of the aforementioned be factored on top of the aforementioned figure.figure.

Responsibility Responsibility

As local election officials, we have a As local election officials, we have a tremendous responsibility to ensure tremendous responsibility to ensure accurate and fair administration of accurate and fair administration of the election process in our the election process in our community. community.

Constantly changing laws and Constantly changing laws and expectations about elections at both expectations about elections at both the State and National levels make the State and National levels make this a very complex field to work in. this a very complex field to work in.

Pueblo County Clerk & Pueblo County Clerk & Recorders Office’sRecorders Office’s Pueblo County’s Election Department Pueblo County’s Election Department

has eight devoted employees dedicated has eight devoted employees dedicated to elections; of those, five are certified to elections; of those, five are certified Colorado Election Officials. Colorado Election Officials.

In addition to Elections staff, the Pueblo In addition to Elections staff, the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder is also a County Clerk and Recorder is also a certified Colorado Election Official. certified Colorado Election Official.

The Clerks staff has over 35 years of The Clerks staff has over 35 years of aggregate experience administering aggregate experience administering elections in Pueblo County. elections in Pueblo County.

91 % of all Counties reporting and 100% of large countieslarge counties are administering an all Mail Ballot Election

COUNTY MAIL BALLOT POLLING PLACEADAMS 1ALAMOSA 1ARAPAHOE 1ARCHULETA 1BENT 1BOULDER 1BROOMFIELD 1CHEYENNE 1CONEJOS 1DENVER 1DOUGLAS 1EAGLE 1EL PASO 1ELBERT 1GARFIELD 1GILPIN 1GRANDE 1GUNNISON 1HINDSDALE 1HUERFANO 1JACKSON 1JEFFERSON 1KIT CARSON 1LA PLATA 1LARIMER 1LINCOLN 1LOGON 1MESA 1MINERAL 1MONTEZUMA 1MONTROSE 1OTERO 1OURAY 1PARK 1PHILLIPS 1PITKIN 1PROWERS 1PUEBLO 1RIO BLANCO 1RIO GRANDE 1ROUTTE 1SAGUACHE 1SAN MIGUEL 1SUMMIT 1TELLER 1WASHINGTON 1WELD 1

TOTAL MAIL BALLOT POLLING PLACE43 4

TOTAL

MAIL BALLOT

POLLING PLACE

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