Colorado's New Accessible Voting Goes Live as NOv. 5 Mail Ballots Are Delivered

Mail ballots for the November 5 Coordinated Election are about to land in mailboxes across Colorado, and for the first time ever Colorado voters with disabilities, including those of us who are blind, will be able to vote privately and independently from home or any other location.

Great news, isn't it? Yes, you can vote from home, or anywhere you have access to the Internet and a printer! So you can use that ballot envelope to mail your ballot back - the one you vote on independently and privately with the voting machine you know best - your smart phone or laptop or tablet!

Here's what the Secretary of State's office has to say about this accessible voting option, which came about because we passed SB19-202, Voting Rights for Voters with Disabilities Act this year:

1. The voter will first need to decide if they are eligible for this service. A voter who has a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act is eligible to vote an electronic ballot under Colorado law.


2. If the voter is eligible and wants to vote an electronic ballot, they should visit https://myballot.sos.colorado.gov. Once on the website, it will guide them through the process of voting their ballot online.


3. Once they have completed voting online, the website will prompt them to print both their ballot and an electronic ballot application form. The application form should be filled in with their information, so all the voter will need to do is sign the application.


4. The voter should place both the ballot and the printed application in an envelope, write “Ballot enclosed” on the envelope, and return the envelope to their county clerk either at a drop box, a voter service and polling center, or through the mail. It is really important that the voter includes the signed application with their ballot, because that is how their county clerk will identify them and count their ballot.


5. Voters can visit www.govotecolorado.com to update their voter registration information (which they will need to be updated to access the online system). They can also visit that website to find their nearest voter service and polling center and drop box.

So get out your vote right now - it's live!

(Note:  Standard accessible voting at your county polling places is still available.)