Ballots to Start Arriving in Mail on Oct. 6

ALTHOUGH THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES ARE JUST NOW STARTING, VOTING IN COLORADO BEGINS ON OCTOBER 6TH, WHEN THE FIRST MAIL BALLOTS WILL BE SENT TO VOTERS. YOU’RE WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK, BROUGHT TO YOU BY ALPINE BANK, MEMBER F D I C. I’M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE. IF YOU’RE NOT YET REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE 2020 ELECTION, YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO DO SO. IN FACT, LA PLATA COUNTY CLERK TIFFANY PARKER SAYS THAT IN COLORADO, YOU CAN REGISTER TO VOTE UP UNTIL ELECTION DAY ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD.
THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE? WE DON’T HAVE ONE, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT IN COLORADO. HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT A MAIL BALLOT, YOU NEED TO BE REGISTERED BY OCTOBER 26TH IN ORDER TO GET A MAIL BALLOT. THE OTHER MAIL BALLOTS FOR EVERYONE ELSE WOULD GO OUT OCTOBER 9TH AND THEN WE’LL MAIL THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO AS PEOPLE ARE REGISTERING OR UPDATING THEIR ADDRESS, WE’LL JUST CONTINUE TO MAIL THEM ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL OCTOBER 26TH. AFTER THAT, YOU NEED TO COME INTO ONE OF THE VOTER SERVICE AND POLLING CENTERS TO EITHER REGISTER, UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS. AND WE CAN HAVE YOU VOTE RIGHT THERE OR HAND YOU A MAIL BALLOT. IF YOU’RE NOT SURE YOU’RE REGISTERED TO VOTE, YOU CAN CHECK AT GO VOTE COLORADO DOT ORG. YOU CAN UPDATE YOUR REGISTRATION IN CASE YOU’VE MOVED, OR YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE, TOO. AND WHAT ABOUT MAKING SURE YOUR BALLOT IS COUNTED? PARKER SAYS YOU SHOULD NEED TO MAIL YOUR BALLOT NO LATER THAN MONDAY, OCTOBER 26TH, TO ENSURE THAT IT ARRIVES AT THE CLERK’S OFFICE BY 7 P.M. ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD. BUT THE SAFEST WAY TO ENSURE THAT YOUR BALLOT IS COUNTED IS TO DROP IT OFF AT THE CLERK’S OFFICE, A VOTER SERVICE CENTER, OR ONE OF FIVE, SECURE DROP BOXES LOCATED AROUND THE COUNTY. IN DURANGO, DROP BOXES ARE LOCATED IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE PARKING LOT AT 679 TURNER DRIVE IN BODO, AT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AT 11TH STREET AND EAST SECOND AVENUE, OR AT FORT LEWIS COLLEGE NEXT TO THE COMMUNITY CONCERT HALL. DROP BOXES ALSO ARE LOCATED AT  BAYFIELD TOWN HALL AND AT THE FARMERS FRESH MARKET IN IGNACIO.
AND WE HAVE BIPARTISAN TEAMS OF ELECTION JUDGES THAT GO OUT AND EMPTY THOSE BOXES VERY FREQUENTLY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE’S A LOT OF SECURITY WITHIN THE BOXES. AND AGAIN, YOU’RE GUARANTEED THAT YOUR BALLOT HAS BEEN CAST TIMELY. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CLERK RECEIVES YOUR BALLOT, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR NOTIFICATIONS AT LA PLATA VOTES DOT COM. YOU CAN GET UPDATES BY VOICEMAIL, EMAIL OR TEXT.IT’S A WAY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE THAT YOUR BALLOT IS ON ITS WAY TO YOU. AND THEN WHEN WE RECEIVE IT, WHEN WE RECEIVE IT, YOU’LL GET A NOTICE THAT IT’S GOING ON TO SIGNATURE VERIFICATION. ONCE IT’S BEEN VERIFIED, THEN IT’LL ACTUALLY SAY YOUR VOTE HAS BEEN CAST AND YOU’LL HAVE THAT NOTIFICATION. SO IT’S A GREAT WAY FOR YOU TO HAVE THAT, THAT, OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOUR MAIL BALLOT IS AT.PARKER SAYS COLORADO LAWS HAVE MADE VOTING SO MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE AND EASY TO DO THAT SHE HOPES FOR RECORD-BREAKING TURNOUT IN THIS ELECTION YEAR.
THIS IS A HISTORICAL YEAR. SO THE 2020 ELECTION, OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY KNOWS IT’S GOING ON AND I HOPE EVERYBODY VOTES. THERE’S NO EXCUSE NOT TO VOTE. AND IT’S SO IMPORTANT. PEOPLE WILL SAY MY VOTE DOESN’T COUNT. YES IT DOES. I’VE DONE ELECTIONS THAT THERE’S A ONE-VOTE DIFFERENCE. IT’S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, AND WE’RE CELEBRATING A HUNDRED YEARS OF, OF WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE, OF WOMEN VOTING, NOT IN COLORADO, BECAUSE WE WERE AHEAD OF THAT. BUT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, IN 1920 WOMEN GOT THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THAT IS NOT VERY LONG AT ALL. SO I’M JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, A YEAR THAT I HOPE EVERYBODY TURNS OUT AND VOTES. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE RECORD-BREAKING TURNOUTS. THERE, THERE’S JUST SO MANY IMPORTANT THINGS. AND AS AMERICANS, WE REALLY NEED TO VALUE THIS, RIGHT, HONOR IT, AND GET OUT THERE AND VOTE AND SHOW, SHOW YOUR POWER AND YOUR VOICE AND, AND VOTING IS, IS THE WAY TO DO THAT.PARKER SAID VOTING RESULTS WILL BE POSTED AS BALLOTS ARE COUNTED STARTING AT 7:30 P.M. ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD AT LA PLATA COUNTY CLERK DOT ORG. LOCAL AND STATE RESULTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS YEAR’S ELECTION DATES AND DEADLINES, VISIT LA PLATA COUNTY CLERK DOT ORG. THANKS FOR WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK. NOW YOU CAN LISTEN TO OUR NEWS STORIES ON YOUR FAVORITEPODCASTAPP, ANYTIME ANYWHERE! I’M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE.