I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Election Day can’t come soon enough for most of you, but those of us tasked with carrying out this fundamental part of the democratic process are actually pretty excited about the next month of activities. So I’m now going to share that excitement – and all of the details around this, La Plata County’s first all-mail ballot presidential election, with all of you.
There is a lot that has changed since the days of voting by precinct at your neighborhood polling place, and we are getting a lot of questions at the Clerk & Recorder’s office about where, when and how to register to vote and cast ballots. The common theme is that there are multiple options for both, all of which are designed to make voting easier and more convenient, all while ensuring that the process is secure.
In years past, if you missed a registration deadline, you would not be allowed to vote in the upcoming election. Not anymore, though. Now, voters can register all the way through Election Day and still cast their ballot; however, if you have not registered by Oct. 31, you will not receive a ballot in the mail and will have to vote in person at one of the three Voter Service and Polling Centers that will start opening in La Plata County beginning Oct. 24.
Until then, there are numerous ways to register to vote, update your address and make sure your registration is current. The easiest way to do this is online through the Colorado Secretary of State at www.govotecolorado.com. You will need to provide a valid Colorado driver’s license or ID card in order to complete your registration online. You can also download and print an application from www.laplatacountyclerk.org and mail it back to us at 98 Everett St., Suite C, Durango, 81303. Finally, you can register in person at either of our offices – on Everett Street in Durango or at the Bayfield Motor Vehicle office, 1199 Bayfield Parkway.
Starting the week of Oct. 17, the Clerk’s Office will begin mailing ballots to all active registered voters in La Plata County. Now that our mail goes to Albuquerque – or Denver for those in the Bayfield area – for processing, it may take a few days before your ballot reaches you. Once you receive and have completed your ballot, there are a few ways you can return it for tabulation – and if you’re wondering whether we’ve received your ballot, you can always call our office at 382-6296 or check online at www.govotecolorado.
Affix a standard First Class stamp to your ballot and use the U.S. Postal Service to send your ballot back to us. If you choose this option, please remember that we must receive your ballot by 7 p.m. Election Day. Postmarks do not count! To be sure that your ballot makes it back on time, I recommend mailing it no later than Oct. 31.
My office has been installing 24-hour secured drop boxes throughout La Plata County, offering a convenient options for returning your ballot. You can find these at our Durango and Bayfield offices: 98 Everett St., Suite C in Durango and 1199 Bayfield Parkway, as well as at the County Administration Building, 1101 East Second Ave. in Durango. That drop site is a slot in the front of the building facing Second Avenue. And, new this year, there will be a 24-hour drop box at the Farmer’s Fresh Market at 535 Goddard Ave., in Ignacio. All of these sites are under video surveillance to ensure voter and ballot security.
We will also have a drop site at Fort Lewis College in the Student Union Building. This location will be open only Nov. 4 and Nov. 7 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and on Election Day, Nov. 8, from 7 a.m.- 7 p.m.
The final voting option – for both mail ballot drop-off, voter registration or to vote in person – is to use one of the three Voter Service & Polling Centers that will be open throughout the county. These centers – two in Durango and one in Bayfield – will have varied hours beginning Oct. 24 through Election Day. Exact hours for those Voter Service & Polling Centers are available with the online version of this piece at www.durangoherald.com.
As we head into the meat of this presidential election, with a lengthy list of down-ballot races, state ballot initiatives and several local ballot questions, my office is working hard to make sure voters know where and how to participate in the election.
Please contact me at 382-6296 or visit www.laplatacountyclerk.org with any questions about the 2016 General Election.
Tiffany Parker is the La Plata County Clerk & Recorder. Reach her at 382-6296 or tiffany.parker@co.laplata.co.us.
