COLORADO, USA — Tuesday is Election Day, which mean's Coloradans' questions about voting – where to vote, when to vote, registering to vote – are ramping up. We're here to help.
What time do polls open and close on Election Day?
In Colorado, in-person polling locations open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Voters who are in line at their polling location by 7 p.m. are allowed to vote no matter how long it takes for each person to cast their ballot.
Where to vote on Election Day?
Many ballot drop boxes are available 24/7. Voter service and polling centers will accept your ballot and offer additional services, like voter registration, replacement ballots, accessibility services and in-person voting.
Every county has at least one ballot drop box and at least one location where you can vote in person at a polling place. Some counties also have a third option, where you can hand your completed ballot to a person. More populated counties have dozens of places to return your ballot.
Click through the interactive map below to find the polling places and ballot drop boxes closest to you. By clicking on an icon, you can see the hours and dates when a voting location is open.
Can I drop off my ballot on Election Day?
Yes, you can drop your ballot off at a ballot drop box or polling location on Election Day. See the map above to find the closest drop-off location to you.
Ballots must be received by your county clerk by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5.
Can you leave races blank on your ballot?
You don't have to vote on every race on your ballot unless you choose to do so. Some voters only cast a vote for president, while others may vote for every race. Whatever races you do choose to vote on will be counted.
Can I register to vote on Election Day?
Yes, you can both register to vote and vote on Election Day in Colorado.
You can register at www.GoVoteColorado.gov if you have a valid Colorado driver's license, state-issued ID card or Social Security number. If you don't have one of those, you can complete and submit a paper registration form in English or Spanish.
You can also register at a state Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office when you apply for a driver's license or when updating driver's license information.
Other places that offer registration are:
- Offices that provide public assistance, including state-funded programs that provide services to persons with disabilities.
- U.S. Armed Forces recruitment offices.
- Any federal, state or local office or nongovernmental office that chooses to provide voter registration services.
- A voter service and polling center.
Voters in Colorado can register in person at a voter service and polling center through Election Day.
Are banks and schools open on Election Day?
Election Day is not a federal holiday, which means most bank branches will be open their regular hours. Similarly, schools and the post office will be open like normal on Election Day.
When does election coverage start?
Election coverage on 9NEWS begins at 3 p.m. on Election Day and will continue until 10:30 p.m. between Channel 9, KTVD (Channel 20), and streaming on 9NEWS Plus.
Live results will be updated on our website at 9NEWS.com/Elections.
You can download the 9NEWS app on your phone:
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n
Or add the 9NEWS Plus app to your streaming device.
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9NEWS" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
When do election results start coming in?
In Colorado, the Secretary of State's Office will begin publishing election results at 7 p.m. on Election Day. Vote counts will be updated continuously throughout the night.
Eastern states will begin publishing election results at 7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. MT).
You can find the latest Colorado election results on 9NEWS.com/Elections.
When do we find out who will be the next president of the United States?
Based on recent polling, the race for president is too close to call. While that doesn't necessarily mean the actual results will be close, it does mean that polling in the seven swing states (AZ, NV, WI, MI, PA, NC, GA) is largely within the margin of error.
Based on vote counts, especially in those swing states, it's unlikely we will know the winner of the presidential election on election night. We might not know the winner the next day.
In 2020, President Biden Joe declared victory three and a half days after Election Day. It could be days before we know who won, depending on which states' electoral votes are still to be determined.
