Colorado registered voters who are currently aligned with a political party and who want to keep their options open for the June 30 primary election have until midnight Monday to declare as unaffiliated voters.
Come Tuesday, any voters who are affiliated as a Democrat, Republican or Libertarian will only receive that party’s ballot when they are mailed out the week of June 8, Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jean Alberico said.
Unaffiliated voters who want to receive only one ballot also have through today to request the ballot of their choice. Otherwise, they will receive both a Republican and Democratic ballot, and must choose which one to complete and return by primary election day, Alberico explained during a brief update to the county commissioners Monday morning.
Voters this month will decide on party nominees for several key statewide and regional offices that will be up for election in November.
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Contested primary races include:
• For the 3rd Congressional District seat, between incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton of Cortez and challenger Lauren Boebert of Rifle on the Republican ballot; and, for the Democrats, between Diane Mitsch Bush of Steamboat Springs and James Iacino of Montrose.
• There are two contested primary races for the Colorado Senate District 8 seat between incumbent state Sen. Bob Rankin of Carbondale and Debra Irvine of Breckenridge on the Republican side; and, for the Democrats between Glenwood Springs attorney Karl Hanlon and former Eagle County commissioner Arn Menconi.
• On the statewide Democratic ballot for U.S. Senate, former Gov. John Hickenlooper and former state Rep. Andrew Romanoff are vying for the party’s nomination to face incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in November.
• Two Libertarian candidates are also vying for the nomination to run for U.S. Senate in the November election, Gaylon Kent and Raymon Anthony Doane. Unaffiliated voters will not receive a Libertarian ballot unless they specifically request one today.
Alberico reminds voters that, if they receive two primary ballots in the mail, they may only complete and return one ballot.
In the first primary election that allowed unaffiliated voters to participate in 2018, she said that 167 Garfield County voters returned two completed ballots, meaning neither counted. In the March presidential primary, she said 291 voters sent back both ballots.
For the June 30 primary election, she said the return envelope will include a note in large red letters: Choose one, vote one, return one.
Alberico said ballots will be sent to all registered voters the week of June 8. June 22 is the last day for eligible voters to submit a voter registration application and still receive a mailed ballot.
Between June 22–30, in-person early voting will take place at the Glenwood Springs and Rifle County Administration Buildings, Monday–Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Election Day, June 30, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
