How to vote in Colorado
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Colorado voter registration guide
- Register to vote (online): 8 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Received by 8 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): Election Day
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Colorado registration using the Colorado voter registration lookup site.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
To register in Colorado you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be a resident of Colorado 22 days prior to Election Day
- be 18 years old by Election Day (you may pre-register if you are 16). If you are 17, you may vote in a primary if you will turn 18 by the General Election
- not be currently incarcerated after being convicted and sentenced for a felony.
You can register to vote online if you have a Colorado driver license, driver permit, ID card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue, or Social Security Number. The system also has a process for if you need to submit a signature.
- Visit the Colorado online voter registration site.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 8 days before Election Day.
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Provide your Colorado driver’s license number or identification number. If you do not have either of these numbers, provide the last 4 digits of your social security number. If you do not have any of these numbers, write "NONE" in this space.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You may register with a party. If you leave this section blank you will not be registered with any party.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be received by 8 days before Election Day.
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
Bring your Colorado driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have a Colorado ID, bring one government-issued photo ID card and one official document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
- Summary: Colorado has same day registration. You can register and vote during the early voting period and on Election Day.
- Where to go:
Go to your designated voting location. Click here to find out where to vote.
- What to bring:
Bring your Colorado driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have a Colorado ID, bring one government-issued photo ID card and one official document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
- Need help? Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Voting rights are restored upon release from prison. You can register to vote on probation or parole.
- You cannot vote while incarcerated.
- You can vote while on parole.
- You can vote while on probation.
- You can vote upon completion of your sentence.
- No financial obligations.
- Please visit Restore Your Vote for additional information.
Colorado absentee and mail ballot guide
- All Colorado elections are held by mail. This means that Colorado will automatically send a mail-in ballot to every registered voter ahead of all elections.
- Colorado does not support one-time absentee ballots, so if you will be away from home during a specific election, you need to register to vote again and update the address where you want to receive your ballot.
- Earliest day to apply: Anytime.
- Request deadline (online): N/A
- Request deadline (by mail): Received by 8 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 8 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Received by Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day
- All Colorado elections are held by mail. This means that Colorado will automatically send a mail-in ballot to every registered voter ahead of all elections.
- Colorado does not support one-time absentee ballots, so if you will be away from home during a specific election, you need to register to vote again and update the address where you want to receive your ballot.
Colorado does not allow you to request your ballot online.
Colorado does not support one-time absentee ballots. If you will be away from home during a specific election, you need to register to vote at the address where you want to receive your ballot. You must remember to revert your address to your regular location for the next election by registering to vote again.
You can also contact your local election office for help requesting an absentee ballot.
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is 8 days before Election Day.
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a drop box if one is available nearby. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official drop box.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be received by Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot:
The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot:
If you are are a first time voter, you may need to include a copy of your ID with your voted ballot. Acceptable forms of ID include a photo ID issued by any state or the Federal Government. If you don't have a photo ID, include a photo copy of a recent utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.
Track your ballot here: Colorado absentee ballot tracker
Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.
- Your ballot will be rejected if your signature is missing or if your signature does not match the state records.
- You must fix any issues by 11:59 pm on the 8th day after Election Day for your vote to count.
Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.
Emergency Ballot Rules
- All Colorado elections are held by mail, but there is something similar to an emergency absentee ballot.
- If you are hospitalized or otherwise confined on Election Day, you may request in a personally signed written statement that the election official send a replacement ballot. If you are unable to have someone pick up and deliver the ballot to you, the election official may electronically deliver the ballot.
- The replacement ballot request must be made before 5PM Election Day and returned no later than 7PM Election Day.
Dates & Deadlines
- Emergency ballot request ends 5PM Election Day
- Emergency ballot return deadline is 7PM Election Day
Contact your local election office
Colorado early voting guide
- Early voting starts: 15 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day
You must show a non-expired photo ID issued by the State of Colorado or any federal agency, any US tribe, or any accredited college or university in Colorado. If you do not have a valid photo ID, you can show a birth certificate or naturalization document, copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address (must be a Colorado address).
Colorado voter ID guide
You must show a non-expired photo ID issued by the State of Colorado or any federal agency, any US tribe, or any accredited college or university in Colorado. If you do not have a valid photo ID, you can show a birth certificate or naturalization document, copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address (must be a Colorado address).
The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
If you are are a first time voter, you may need to include a copy of your ID with your voted ballot. Acceptable forms of ID include a photo ID issued by any state or the Federal Government. If you don't have a photo ID, include a photo copy of a recent utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.
You can register to vote online if you have a Colorado driver license, driver permit, ID card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue, or Social Security Number. The system also has a process for if you need to submit a signature.
Bring your Colorado driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have a Colorado ID, bring one government-issued photo ID card and one official document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Colorado elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
Colorado Secretary of State 1700 Broadway, Suite 200 Denver, CO 80290