(C) Colorado Newsline
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Colorado election officials encourage turnout on Election Day 2023 [1]
['Lindsey Toomer', 'More From Author', '- November']
Date: 2023-11
Colorado’s highest ranking election official joined a group of Denver metro area county clerks to talk about the progress made by voters so far in the 2023 election.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold held an Election Day press conference Tuesday morning at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library in Aurora, the site of Colorado’s first tri-county ballot box. Adams County Clerk Josh Zygielbaum, Arapahoe County Clerk Joan Lopez and Denver Clerk Paul López joined Griswold to tout their shared ballot box.
As of Monday night, Griswold said 1,031,000 voters cast their ballots, with more expected to follow suit on Election Day. Colorado has more than 3.9 million total active registered voters. Of the ballots already cast in Colorado, 30% are from Democrats, 31% from Republicans, and 38% from unaffiliated voters. Of registered voters in the state, 34% of Republican, 29% of Democratic, and 21% of unaffiliated voters already cast their ballot.
Griswold said the turnout so far is a bit behind previous off-year elections in 2019 and 2021, but there is “still plenty of time to close that gap.” Voters have until 7 p.m. Tuesday to either drop off their mail ballot at a dropbox or get in line at a Voter Service and Polling Center. Colorado has over 400 drop boxes available for voters across the state as well as 130 voting centers.
“Voting is one of the most important rights and responsibilities we have as citizens,” Griswold said. “It’s how we make our voices heard on important issues affecting our local communities and our state. I encourage every voter to get out the vote, make a plan to vote today before 7 p.m.”
Griswold talked about her efforts over the last five years to increase voter access and election security. She highlighted a 65% increase in voter drop boxes, automatic voter registration and guaranteed voting access on public university campuses and tribal lands, among other improvements.
The three clerks emphasized the improved access for people in the East Colfax area because of their tri-county ballot box. Paul López noted that many people living in the area don’t know which county they live in since it’s right where all three counties meet.
“One thing’s for certain — they can vote at this vote center no matter what county they live in,” he said.
Griswold also cited a recent report that ranked Colorado as tied for first in the nation for voter confidence in elections, which she said is thanks to the state’s election model and the hard work of election officials.
“Colorado knows how to deliver secure and accessible elections for every eligible voter — Republican, Democrat and unaffiliated alike,” Griswold said. “As election administrators, we work to protect our democracy for every eligible Coloradan regardless of their political affiliation, the money in their bank account, their race or their zip code.”
Griswold and all three clerks are Democrats.
Initial results will be reported starting at 7 p.m., but these results are preliminary and not official.
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[1] Url:
https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-election-officials-encourage-turnout-on-election-day-2023/
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