Voting Rights in Colorado

• You have the right to vote if you’re over 18 and a U.S. citizen. You must be a U.S. citizen and a Colorado resident for 22 days in order to vote in Colorado.
• You can pre-register to vote at the age of 15 in Colorado and vote in a primary at 17 as long as you will be 18 on Election Day.
• You have the right to accessible voting, meaning you can access the voting center, and can request ballots in different formats. There must be at least one accessible voting system in each Voting Service and Polling Center (“VSPC”).
• Voting machines must provide all voters with the ability to independently and privately cast, verify, and correct their ballot before it is counted.
• If you have a guardian or are in a group home, psychiatric ward, or other facility setting, you can still vote, unless a court order prohibits you.
• You have the right to refuse to vote at any time for any reason.
• If you are or have been incarcerated, you have the right to vote unless you are actively serving a term of imprisonment for a felony conviction. Those on probation or parole are eligible to vote.

• A valid mailing address
  • If you are unhoused, you need to provide a “home base” address, which can be anywhere you consider “home base” – a park, a vacant lot, a campground AND somewhere you can get mail – like a post office.
• U.S. citizenship
• Identification, including but not limited to:
  • US Passport
  • Driver’s license
  • Birth certificate
  • Valid Medicare card
  • More can be found on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website.
• To be registered

• You can register online or get a paper form.
  • Paper forms can be printed from the Secretary of State’s website.
• You can also register in-person at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), a state agency that providespublic assistance, a Voting Service and Polling Center (VSPC), or a Voter Registration Drive.

You have a few options for how to vote:

• Mail-in ballot
  • You will get a mail in ballot to your permanent address. To vote this way simply fill out theballot and mail it to the clerk’s office. The clerk needs to have it by 7 PM on election day.
  • If you lose this mail-in ballot you can request a new one from your county clerk.
• In-person
  • To vote in-person, bring your identification, look up a Voting Service and Polling Center (VSPC) in your county, and arrive by 7PM on election day. Just go give your name and cast your vote!
• Electronic ballot
  • You might be able to vote with an electronic ballot.
  • If you are an overseas or military voter, a voter with a disability as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, or a voter with a qualifying emergency you can fill out an electronic ballot.
  • Once it is filled out, you can print it and take it to a drop-off box or mail it in. Certain eligible voters, such as those who are blind, are eligible to return their ballot electronically.

• You can also vote early with any of these methods. If you’re voting early in-person, you can vote 8 days early for a primary, and you can vote 15 days early for a general election.
• If you need help voting, in person or by mail, you are entitled to that help, both for registering and voting. A person with a disability may vote alone or with assistance from a person of the voter’s choice, other than the voter’s employer or an agent of the voter’s union and you may have extra time to cast your vote.

• Voting helps decide who is in charge of making and upholding laws for the next few years.
• Voting lets your voice be heard and lets you have a say in the laws being passed.
• Voting gets you involved in the democratic process and helps uphold your rights.

• The Colorado Secretary of State’s Website (https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/main.html)
• The American Association of People with Disabilities’ Fact Sheets (https://www.aapd.com/voter-info/)
• The Arc’s Voting Information (https://thearc.org/vote/)
• The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network’s Self-Advocate’s Guide to Voting in the U.S. (https://autisticadvocacy.org/policy/toolkits/voting/)
• Disability Justice’s Quick Guide to Polling Place Accessibility in Colorado (https://disabilityjustice.co/know-your-rights/voting)

• You can choose to vote or not to vote.
• No one can tell you who to vote for. YOU get to make that choice.
• There is no right or wrong person to vote for.
• There is no right or wrong way to vote.
• You can vote for as much or as little on a ballot as you want.
• You can only vote for one option per category on a ballot.