Election FAQs

Mail ballot elections are an alternative to polling place voting. Prior to each election, a ballot is automatically mailed to all Gilpin County voters at the mailing address on record in the Statewide Voter Registration System. The ballot is then returned to the county Elections Office.

It is now law in the State of Colorado. Many voters enjoy the extra time to review the ballot before casting a vote. Mail ballots give voters the opportunity to review the candidates and issues on the ballot in the comfort of their own home.

In addition, mail ballot elections have shown to be more cost effective than polling place elections, and have also shown to increase overall voter turnout especially in odd-year elections.

You can go to www.GoVoteColorado.gov and register. You can also register when you obtain a driver's license or you can fill out a paper form at the Clerk and Recorders Office. The last day to register online is February 26, 2024and receive a ballot in the mail for the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election. You can register to vote up to and including Election Day but must be a resident of Colorado for 22 days prior to the election. On February 27th thru Election Day, you will need to appear at the Courthouse in Central City where the Voter Service and Poling Center (VSPC) is located to receive your ballot.

You must be registered and reside in Gilpin County to receive a ballot. Ballots will be mailed to voters approximately 18-22 days before the election. Once you vote your ballot, just place it in the folded voter instructions page and place it in the return envelope. Make sure to sign and date the Affidavit and mail it back. You can drop off your ballot at one of the 24 hour ballot drop boxes at the Gilpin County Courthouse, 203 Eureka St, Central City, Gilpin County Community Center, 250 Norton Dr, Black Hawk or at Gilpin County Public Works, 135 Tolland Rd, Rollinsville.

Mail ballots cannot be forwarded to your new address. Before February 26, 2024, you can change your address online at www.GoVoteColorado.gov. After February 27th, you will need to appear in person at the Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC) in the Old Courthouse in Central City, 203 Eureka St., to update your address and obtain a ballot.

You cannot vote under your old name. Your name and signature must match on your ballot. You will need to go to www.GoVoteColorado.gov and change your name. You can also change your name by filling out a form in person at the clerk's office. You will need to provide I.D. showing proof of name change.

If you return prior to Election Day, you have time to vote and return your ballot when you get back. If you will not return prior to Election Day, you will need to apply for a replacement ballot with the County Clerk's office. Your ballot will be mailed to the temporary address you indicate on the form.

Directions are at the top of your ballot on how to cross off a mistake. Otherwise, contact us for instructions on how to obtain a replacement ballot. You can come in to the VSPC for an election judge to “spoil” the ballot you made a mistake on and issue a new one.

Yes, all eligible ballots will be counted regardless of whether or not they are sent back in the Voter Instructions sheet that can act as a secrecy sleeve. 

If you return your mail ballot without signing the Affidavit on the envelope, we will contact you by letter. You will have up to 8 days after the election to come into our office to sign the Affidavit on the back of your ballot envelope in order for your ballot to be counted, or return the Affidavit on the back of your letter with a copy of your ID.

Your signature on the back of the ballot envelope will be compared to your signature on file in the Statewide Voter Registration System. If your signature matches the signature we have on file, your ballot will be counted. If the signatures do not match, a letter will be sent to the address on file along with a form that will allow you to confirm that you voted the ballot.

No one else may sign your ballot for you. This includes family members or people who have a “Power of Attorney” to sign documents on your behalf. If you are unable to sign, you must make your mark and have a witness sign that he or she observed the mark.

No. You have the choice of mailing your ballot or dropping it off at one of the 24 hour ballot drop off boxes at the Gilpin County Courthouse, Gilpin County Community Center or Gilpin County Public Works. You may use any drop box in the state to drop off your ballot also. Please do not allow anyone other than someone you trust to deliver your ballot for you.  Using a drop box is highly recommended due to mail delays.

Mail ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, March 5, 2024. If the ballot is received after Election Day, the votes on the ballot will not be counted. Please use a drop box after February 27, 2024 to ensure your ballot is received in time. POSTMARKS DO NOT COUNT!

Upon receiving your voted ballot, we scan your record in the statewide Voter Registration System to indicate you have returned a ballot. You can call the Elections Office at 303-582-5321 and ask if the ballot has been received or you can verify it online at Voter Home.

YES. That information is public record. Many parties and candidates use this information for their “Get Out the Vote” campaigns. When you vote, the calls should stop.

NO. The procedure for processing mail ballots ensures that secrecy is maintained for each voter's ballot. Two election judges process each mail ballot. One opens the envelope and removes the ballot and hands it to the other judge who takes the ballot and checks it for discrepant marks. The actual ballot is never associated with the envelope.

Counting the mail ballots may begin 8 days prior to the election and continue until counting is completed. Every eligible ballot received prior to 7 p.m. on Election Day will be counted.

Preliminary unofficial results will be released after 7:00 p.m. on Election Night when the election judges have finished processing the ballots. You can review these results online at the Gilpin County website, Gilpin County Elections Page, the County Clerk's Facebook page or the Secretary of State website.

You can call us at 303-582-5321 or e-mail us at elections@gilpincounty.org.