How to Vote in Colorado's 2022 Elections

En español | Colorado’s Nov. 8 general election will decide races for the U.S. Senate and House, Colorado General Assembly, governor and lieutenant governor, and some other statewide offices.

• Voting with a mail ballot: Every registered voter automatically receives a ballot by mail in Colorado. Your mail ballot will be sent to the address in your voter registration file, which you can check and update at GoVoteColorado.gov.   

• Early in-person voting: If you prefer to vote in person, you can visit a vote center to cast your ballot starting Monday, Oct. 24.

• In-person voting on Election Day: The state’s general election is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Due to population growth in the 2020 census, Colorado picked up a new seat in the U.S. House and established the 8th congressional district north of Denver, up to and including Greeley. Also, a new redistricting plan has changed the boundaries of some state legislative and U.S. congressional districts and may affect which candidates appear on your ballot.

• U.S. Senate: incumbent Michael Bennet (D), Joe O’Dea (R)
• U.S. House: all 8 seats
• Governor: incumbent Jared Polis (D), Heidi Ganahl (R)
• Secretary of State: incumbent Jena Griswold (D), Pam Anderson (R)
• State Senate: 17 of 35 seats 
• State House: all 65 seats

• Online: If you have a Colorado driver’s license, an ID card issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles or a Social Security number, you can register online on the secretary of state’s website.   

• By mail, email or fax: Download and complete the Colorado Voter Registration Form and send it to your county clerk and recorder’s office, using this roster of offices.  

• By phone: Call your county clerk and recorder’s office to request that a paper copy of the registration form be mailed to you. You can mail, email, fax or hand-deliver the completed form.  

• In person: Visit your county clerk and recorder’s office to pick up and file a registration form. You can also register to vote when you get or update your Colorado driver’s license. Or register at public assistance offices, including offices that provide services to those with disabilities; military recruitment centers; or any municipal clerk’s office or federal post office that provides voter registration applications. Keep your eyes open, too, for voter registration drives in your area. You can also register to vote at a voter service or polling center in your county during the lead-up to and on Election Day.  

There is no deadline to register to vote in person. But if you want a mail ballot, you need to register in advance, no later than Monday, Oct. 31. Because mail ballots are sent out as early as Monday, Oct. 17, register as soon as possible to make sure you can return your completed ballot on time.

Go online to check and update your registration status. You can also contact or visit your county clerk and recorder’s office, or call the secretary of state’s office at 303-894-2200 if you have questions about your status.  

Every registered voter whose information is up to date will automatically receive a ballot by mail. Check your voter registration information to make sure your current address is on file. 

Ballots will be automatically mailed to registered voters between Monday, Oct. 17, and Friday, Oct. 21. If you are not registered to vote by then, or if your mailing address needs to be corrected, do so by Monday, Oct. 31. But it’s best to register and make corrections as early as possible to ensure you get your ballot on time.  

You can return your completed mail ballot in several ways: 

• By mail: Send your completed ballot to your county clerk and recorder’s office. Remember to sign the envelope to make sure your vote counts. Postage is required. Your ballot must be received by the county office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.

• In person: Your mail-ballot package will include information about locations where you can safely drop it off. Or you can hand-deliver your ballot to your county clerk and recorder’s office or contact the office to find secure drop-off locations in your area. Also, a few weeks before the election, a lookup tool on GoVoteColorado.gov will go live and provide locations where you can hand-deliver your ballot. The deadline for in-person delivery is Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m.

Note that deadlines for military and overseas voters are different.

Yes. Track the status of your ballot by signing up for BallotTrax. You can also visit GoVoteColorado.gov to select a link and check the status of your mail ballot. 

If you’d rather not use a mail ballot, you can vote early in person at any voter service and polling center in your county. These centers will be open Monday, Oct. 24, through Monday, Nov. 7 (and on Election Day). They are closed Saturday, Oct. 29, and Sundays, Oct. 30 and Nov. 6.

Vote center locations can be found on GoVoteColorado.gov through the lookup tool, which will go live a few weeks before the election. 

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 7 p.m., you’ll be able to cast your ballot.  
 
To find your local polling location, use the lookup tool on GoVoteColorado.gov. 

Yes. Options for accessible voting, including an electronic ballot that enables you to vote from home, are laid out on the secretary of state’s website. You’ll also find details about compliance, support resources, and answers to frequently asked questions from voters with disabilities.  

If you vote in person, you must provide an acceptable form of identification. And if you’re voting by mail for the first time, you may be required to include a photocopy of your identification.  

Acceptable forms of identification are listed in full on the secretary of state’s website. Examples include: 

• A Colorado driver’s license 
• A U.S. passport 
• An employee ID card issued by a governmental agency 
• A military ID card 
• A tribal ID card 
• A certified birth certificate 
• A student ID card from a Colorado higher education institution 
• A Medicare or Medicaid card 
• A current utility bill or bank statement 

Editor’s note: This guide was updated on July 29, 2022, with information about the general election. The guide was first published on July 21, 2020.
 
Also of Interest:  

• Follow AARP's political coverage at aarp.org/elections  
• Keep up with local events and AARP advocacy efforts at aarp.org/co 
• Text COVOTES to 22777 to receive a one-time text message with a link to Colorado voter information. Message and data rates may apply. Terms apply: https://aarp.info/tcady