Security Q and A for Prowers County Balloting

ELECTION NEWS:   Can someone else get your blank ballot or the ballot of someone who has recently moved? Can they vote that ballot?

The answer is NO!

Colorado has a series of protections in place:

• County Clerks can now use the U.S. Postal Service’s National Change of Address database to update the addresses of registered voters who have moved. This will substantially cut down the number of undeliverable ballots.
• Counties receive frequent updates from the State of Colorado listing people who have recently died, and those who have lost their voting rights through incarceration.
• You must sign your ballot envelope before mailing it back or dropping it off. County Election Judges compares the signature on every single ballot with the signature on file in the statewide voter registration database. This is state law, and we take it very seriously.
• Unsigned ballots or ballots with signatures that do not match are not counted. Voters who cast these ballots are mailed a notification, and they must present ID and correct the deficiency. Mail ballots in envelopes with uncorrected signatures are not counted.
• In cases of signatures that don’t match and the voter did not correct the deficiency these are turned over to local district attorneys for possible prosecution.

If you have moved and didn’t update your voter registration address or if you didn’t vote in the last election, you could be inactive at this time. Inactive voters will not automatically receive a ballot in the mail. Please call the County Clerks office for information regarding your voting status or go the State’s on line website at: www.govotecolorado.com for more information.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2015 GENERAL ELECTION:

• Monday, October 12-16, 2015: Ballots will be mailed to all Active eligible electors.
• Monday, October 26, 2015: Last day for voters to submit a new voter registration application to register to receive a ballot by mail for the Coordinated Election.
• Monday, October 26, 2015: First day Voter Service & Polling Center will be open, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., M-F, for ballot replacements, and address changes, etc.
• Saturday, October 31, 2015: County Clerk’s Office will be open to return mail ballots, issue replacement ballots, register to vote, and address changes during 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 3, 2015 (Election Day): Prowers County Clerk’s Office will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You may return your ballots, with appropriate postage ($0.49) or hand deliver Ballots to: Prowers County Clerk’s Office, 301 S. Main St., Ste. 210, Lamar, CO 81052. Post mark dates do not count if ballot is received after November 3, 2015.

The Election Department can be reached at 719-336-8011 for all voter registration and election questions.

Jana Coen, Prowers Clerk and Recorder