October 11, 2021 – The El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Office has mailed over 464,300 ballots to all eligible, active registered voters for the 2021 Coordinated Election. The ballots should arrive in voters’ mailboxes by Friday, October 15.
“Our staff members feel a strong sense of pride when the ballots are mailed, knowing voters will be participating in our representative democracy and letting their voice be heard,” said Clerk and Recorder Chuck Broerman. “Voters can be confident in the elections conducted in El Paso County and the State of Colorado. The many layers of security and well-developed processes ensure that every vote is counted in a transparent, fair, secure and accurate way.”
The 2021 Coordinated Election ballot content contains contests for municipal offices, school board candidates, school district measures, special district measures, statewide measures and local measures. The content of a voter’s individual ballot is dependent on where they reside. Voters are urged to research these items in advance utilizing the Colorado General Assembly Ballot Information Booklet (Blue Book) and the El Paso County TABOR Notice mailed earlier this month. Once an informed decision has been made, voters are encouraged to vote and return their ballot early.
Voters have many convenient options for returning their voted ballot in a safe and secure manner. The Clerk and Recorder’s Office has 38 secure 24/7 ballot drop-box locations throughout the county. 99% of the county’s population lives within a fifteen-minute drive of one of these locations. Voters also may return their ballot through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). However, voters should affix standard $0.58 postage when returning their ballot via the USPS. The Clerk’s Office recommends that voters do not return their voted ballot by mail after October 25. All voted ballots must be returned to the Clerk and Recorder’s Office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 2, to be counted. Postmarked ballots received after the deadline cannot be counted.
Any voter needing a replacement ballot or other in-person services may visit the Clerk and Recorder’s Office at the Citizens Service Center at 1675 West Garden of the Gods Road. Five additional Voter Service and Polling Centers (VSPCs) will open October 25, with a total of 11 VSPCs opening in phases by Election Day. A full list of locations along with hours of operation can be viewed here.
For more information about the election, tracking the status of your mail ballot, or viewing the El Paso County sample Coordinated Election ballot, voters should visit www.EPCVotes.com or call (719) 575-VOTE (8683).