Selected Press Releases from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold on the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election

Colorado « Colorado SOS Selected Press Releases

https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/newsRoom/pressReleases/news2020.html

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
December 14, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Colorado’s Electors Meet to Cast Votes for President and Vice President

Denver, December 14, 2020 – Today, Governor Jared Polis and Secretary of State Jena Griswold joined Colorado’s nine presidential electors at the state capitol as the electors cast their votes for President and Vice President of the United States. Under current Colorado law, each presidential elector must vote for the presidential and vice presidential candidates who received the highest number of votes in Colorado's General Election. Today, all nine electors cast their ballots for Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris.

“Colorado’s safe and secure elections are a model for our country, and today our state’s electors made the results of the 2020 election official,” said Governor Jared Polis. "I thank Sec. Griswold and Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan B. Coates for presiding over today's certification.”

“The electoral ballots cast today are the final votes that will be cast in an election year unlike any other in our nation’s history,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said. “By awarding Colorado’s electoral votes to the winner of our state’s election for president and vice president, electors play an important role in reaffirming the democratic principle that the people—everyday American people—decide the leaders of the United States.”

The Electoral College is a group of 538 people, chosen by the states and the District of Columbia, that are responsible for electing the President and Vice President of the United States. States are allocated electors based on their number of Congressional legislators. For example, Colorado is entitled to nine electors because it has two members of the U.S. Senate and seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

When a voter casts a vote for a presidential ticket, the voter is casting a vote for the slate of electors that was chosen to represent that ticket in the Electoral College. In Colorado, political parties nominate their Electoral College electors during the state party conventions.

The following are electors casting votes today on behalf of Colorado: Anita Lynch, Denver; Jerad Sutton, Greeley; Judith Ingelido, Colorado Springs; Bryan Hartmann, Highlands Ranch; Roger Fang, Denver; Victoria Marquesen, Pueblo; Susan McFaddin, Fort Collins; Polly Baca, Denver; Alan Kennedy, Denver.

For more election-related information, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
December 10, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Secretary of State Jena Griswold Highlights Increase in 2020 Voter Turnout on Tribal Lands

Denver, December 10, 2020 – Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold highlighted the increase in active voter turnout on tribal lands in Colorado for the 2020 General Election. Turnout for active voters living on the Ute Mountain Ute tribal lands increased from 36% in 2016 to nearly 50% in 2020, while for the Southern Utes turnout increased from 46% in 2016 to 70% in 2020.

“The 2020 general election saw a large increase in turnout of voters living on tribal lands in Colorado,” Secretary Griswold said. “I am proud of my office’s work and close partnership with the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute, and look forward to continuing to work together to further increase participation and access to voting on tribal lands.”

Native Americans living on tribal lands in Colorado did not have guaranteed voting rights until as late as 1970. As part of continuing efforts to improve voting access for Native Americans in the wake of this historic suppression, Secretary Griswold helped pass one of the largest democracy reform packages in the nation in 2019 which included guaranteeing voting centers on tribal lands. Native Americans who do not have an address recognized by the U.S. Postal Service are also now able to register to vote using the unrecognized address, the tribal council headquarters address, or any other address approved by the tribal council. They now can also drop off their voter registration application to their tribal council, who will then forward it to the county clerk and recorder.

For more election-related information, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
December 8, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold Certifies the State’s 2020 General Election

Denver, December 8, 2020 – Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold today certified the 2020 General Election, thereby making the results of the election official and final. The certification was conducted after each county’s bipartisan canvass boards submitted their official abstract of votes to the Secretary of State’s Office, as well as the conclusion of an automatic recount in the race for 18th Judicial District.

“The 2020 General Election will be remembered as one of the most challenging and successful elections in our state’s history,” said Secretary Griswold. “Colorado rose to the challenge of executing a successful general election during a pandemic by adding access and safeguards. Over 3.2 million Coloradans made their voices heard, setting the highest record number of voters participating in any election held in state history. We are tremendously proud of this success, and I commend my staff and county clerks offices for all their diligent work this year.”

After the election, the Secretary of State’s office worked closely with Colorado’s county clerks to complete a risk-limiting audit state-wide that provided a high level of statistical confidence in the results of the election. After the audit, each county’s bipartisan canvass board certified the election results in each county. The canvass boards then submitted the final results to the Secretary of State’s office, including the recount results from the 18th Judicial District. The election is now deemed official.

In addition to a record number of voters participating, Coloradans also embraced the new initiatives that the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office introduced for the election, including statewide BallotTrax and Txt2Cure. A total of 1,771,523 voters (53.8% of all ballots returned) enrolled in BallotTrax. Meanwhile, a total of 11,085 voters utilized Txt2Cure to conveniently cure any signature discrepancies.

The official breakdown of voter turnout is as follows:

Total voter turnout: 3,291,548
Mail ballots: 3,092,903
In-person ballots: 198,645

Democratic: 1,020,321
Republican: 941,313
Unaffiliated: 1,276,834
Other: 53,080

Female: 1,683,598
Male: 1,554,730
Unknown: 53,220

Ballots returned spreadsheet including county, party, age, and gender (XLSX)

Ballots returned graphic summary (PDF)

For complete 2020 General Election results, please visit www.sos.state.co.us.

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
November 20, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Statement from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold on Colorado’s Elections

Denver, November 20, 2020 – Below is a statement from Secretary of State Jena Griswold regarding false narratives from the Trump legal team:

“Colorado’s election model is considered the nation’s gold standard and has gained widespread bipartisan support since its implementation in 2013. With that in mind, unfounded claims and false narratives made by President Trump’s campaign legal team are deeply troubling.

"Colorado’s 2020 general election has been extremely successful, holding true to our state’s high standards of election turnout, accessibility, and security. Colorado just completed the statewide post-election Risk Limiting Audit, which is an audit that provides a high statistical confidence in the election results. Colorado voters can rest assured that their voices have been heard and we look forward to certifying the 2020 General Election on November 30, notwithstanding any statutory recounts of local races.”

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
November 4, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Colorado’s 2020 General Election Turnout Sets Records

Denver, November 4, 2020 – Even with ballots still being processed and counted throughout Colorado, it is clear that this is an historic election. As of 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, a total of 3,303,265 ballots have been received into the statewide voter registration system to be processed for tabulation in the 2020 General Election, with more ballots to be processed in the days ahead.

“This is an historic election. More Coloradans voted in this election than in any previous election in our state’s history, even in the midst of a pandemic. Colorado’s elections set the gold standard for the nation: it is clear that when people have access, they will vote,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. “I am proud of Colorado’s elections and the voting access that we have added over the last two years. I also commend the county election officials, election judges, and the employees of the Department of State for doing such a tremendous job.”

Colorado’s turnout among active registered voters currently stands at 86.8%, higher than the turnout in 2016, which was 86.7%. The turnout rate among all registered voters (active and inactive) currently stands at 78.4%, higher than the 2016 rate of 74.3%. According to the United States Election Project, Colorado’s turnout rate among voting eligible population currently stands at 76.0%, eclipsing the 71.9% record set in 2016, and the largest since the statistic started being kept in 2000.

For a complete spreadsheet of ballot returns to this point including county, party, age, and gender, click here (XLSX)

For a graphic summary of ballot returns to this point, click here (PDF)

Ballot signature cures and mailed overseas and military voter ballots must be received by county clerks by 11:59 on November 12. After that, the Secretary of State’s Office initiates the state’s Risk Limiting Audit. Results will be finalized on November 30, notwithstanding recounts.

For more information as well as the latest results, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
October 30, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold Highlights Election Results Reporting Process

Denver, October 30, 2020 – Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold today highlighted the process of counting ballots and reporting results, including how and when ballots are counted and when to expect unofficial results reporting on Election Night. While counties began to process ballots before Election Day, initial results will not be reported until after polls close at 7 p.m. on November 3. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office expects to have approximately 70-80% of ballots counted on Election Night. Coloradans should refer to trusted sources of information like GoVoteColorado.gov or their county clerk’s site for results reporting.

“In Colorado, county clerks process ballots prior to election day, which enables a high percentage of results to be reported on Election Night. But Election Night results are never final results,” said Secretary Griswold. “In the days after Election Day, military and oversees voters return their ballots, signature discrepancies can be fixed, and a risk-limiting audit is conducted to determine statistical confidence in the results. Like any election, there is quite a bit of activity after Election Day.”

In Colorado, results are not reported based on how ballots are cast. For example, ballots cast in-person are not reported separately or before ballots returned by mail or drop box. However, as counties can start reviewing signatures once ballots are received and begin processing ballots for scanning 15 days before Election Day, early, in-person and mail ballots received before Election Day will likely be scanned prior to in-person and mail ballots received on Election Day.

In past elections, Colorado has been able to provide over 75% of results on Election Night. However, that percentage may be impacted by the unique circumstances surrounding this year’s election and high turnout. The biggest variable impacting when results will be reported is the number of Coloradans who vote (either early in-person or return their mail ballot via mail, drop box or in person) in advance of Election Day relative to those who return their ballot or vote in-person on Election Day. The more ballots cast before Election Day, the faster ballots can be processed, and the higher percentage can be reported on Election Night. As of Thursday night, 2,279,059 ballots had been returned to county clerks, 79.8% of the total turnout in the 2016 General Election.

Counties will have had 15 days prior to Election Day to scan ballots, though tabulated results are not made public until after 7 p.m. on Election Day. When polls officially close at 7 p.m., counties will begin uploading results to the state’s centralized Election Night Reporting system, and to the contingency election results site. Those results are then posted on various pages on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website, including the home page and www.GoVoteColorado.gov. Counties may post results to their websites, but are not required to do so. Note that if a court extends polling hours in any county, results will not be posted by the Secretary of State’s Office until polls are closed in every county.

As counties continue to upload results periodically through the night, you can track progress by referencing the color-coded status that are used in the “counties reporting” map to indicate at what point they are in the process. Yellow indicates that a county has reported results at least once, and as they continue to tabulate ballots, they will update results periodically throughout the night. Lavender means that a county has stopped tabulating for Election Night, but does not indicate that all ballots have been tabulated, as they will continue to update results in the following days. Green indicates that all eligible ballots have been tabulated, and dark orange indicates results have been certified as official.

After Election Day, voters in Colorado have a cure period to fix issues with their ballots, including discrepant signatures. Typically, voters would have eight days after the election to cure their ballots but this year they have nine days this year due to Veterans Day falling on November 11. That means that cures and mailed military and overseas ballots are due by November 12. Counties will then have until November 13 to process cured ballots and overseas and military voter ballots. Following the cure period, the Secretary of State’s Office will oversee the state’s risk-limiting audit, which provides a high level of statistical confidence in the results of the election. Should they be necessary, recounts may also occur in the weeks following the election. Results will be certified as official on November 30, except in the case of recounts where specific races may not be finalized until mid-December.

For the presidential contest, the Electoral College will meet on December 14.

For more information on election dates and deadlines, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
October 27, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Colorado Secretary of State’s Office Hires Native American Outreach Coordinator

Denver, October 27, 2020 – The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office today announced the hiring of Raymond Baker as Tribal Registration and Voting Education Coordinator, a new non-partisan position created to provide information on registering to vote and returning a ballot for the November 3 General Election during the COVID-19 pandemic to those living on Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Tribal lands. The temporary position is another initiative from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold to help increase access to voting for Colorado’s Native American tribes.

“The right to vote for Native Americans living on tribal lands in Colorado was not recognized until 1970. We have worked with the Southern Ute and the Ute Mountain Ute to reverse the effect of this historic suppression,” said Secretary Griswold. “As part of this work, I’m proud to announce that Raymond Baker has joined our team as Tribal Registration and Voting Education Coordinator to help ensure people living on tribal lands have the information they need to vote.”

Baker, who started earlier this month, is working with the Southern Ute Tribal Council and Ute Mountain Ute tribal leadership to organize nonpartisan voter education on the process of voter registration and voting during the COVID pandemic. He is responsible for developing, coordinating, and presenting information on how to register to vote while also educating the tribal communities on the steps needed to complete and return a ballot. For the upcoming election, there is a voting center located at Southern Ute Tribe Cultural Center and secure 24-hour drop boxes located at Farmer’s Fresh Market in Ignacio and the Tara Community Center in Arboles. There is also a drop box at the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Headquarters and a voting center at the Ute Mountain Ute Recreation Center in Towaoc. All of the drop boxes and voting centers on those tribal lands have been added within the last two years. The position of Tribal Registration and Voting Education Coordinator is made possible with federal CARES Act funding, awarded to states to help conduct elections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Southern Ute Indian Tribal (SUIT) member, Baker is a 30-year retired disabled veteran of the United States Navy and was raised in the Durango, Colorado area. He has worked for the SUIT Growth Fund as a Safety Officer and later on as the Executive Officer. Now fully retired, he spends his off time as the Vice President of the SUIT Boys and Girls Club and SUIT Veterans Association and a board member of the SUIT Ethics Commission.

Last year, Secretary Griswold helped pass one of the largest democracy reform packages in the nation specifically designed to address greater accessibility, which included guaranteeing voting centers on tribal lands. Native Americans who do not have an address recognized by the U.S. Postal Service are also now able to register to vote using the unrecognized address, the tribal council headquarters address, or any other address approved by the tribal council. They now can also drop off their voter registration application to their tribal council, who will then forward it to the county clerk and recorder.

Early in-person voting in Colorado has already begun, with drop boxes and Voter Service and Polling Centers open throughout the state.

To register to vote, check your registration, or for election information, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
October 26, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Today is Last Suggested Day to Return Ballots by Mail; Starting Tuesday, Colorado Voters Reminded to Return Mail Ballots Exclusively via Drop Box or Voting Center

Denver, October 26, 2020 – With just eight days until the November 3 General Election, Colorado voters are reminded that today is the last suggested day to return voted ballots by mail. Starting Tuesday, October 27, voters should return their ballots to a drop box or their local Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC) instead of through the United States Postal Service. Today is also the last day Colorado voters can register to vote and be mailed a ballot or request that a replacement ballot be mailed to them. After today, voters can still register and vote at a VSPC through 7 p.m. on Election Day.

“Coloradans have been making their voices heard this election with high turn-out during early voting. I hope this enthusiasm will help our state lead the nation in voter turnout this election,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. “Today is the last day to return a voted ballot by mail. After today, voters should return their ballot to one of the hundreds of drop boxes or voting centers across the state.”

This year, nearly 390 drop boxes and 342 VSPCs are available statewide for Colorado voters, an increase from 2018 of over 130 drop boxes and 42 VSPCs. In addition to drop boxes funded by the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, many counties added boxes independently. To find the nearest drop box or VSPC, voters can use a search tool located on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. For the first time, voters across the state can also track their ballots from when they are sent to when they are processed by signing up for BallotTrax at GoVoteColorado.gov.

For those wishing to vote in-person, the Secretary of State has issued election rules and guidance to help ensure voting in-person is as safe as possible, including PPE for poll workers and social distancing requirements. The Secretary of State’s Office has helped provide counties PPE and will also reimburse counties for sick pay for poll workers.

Voted ballots must be received by county election officials by 7 p.m. on November 3.

To register to vote, check your registration, or for election information, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
October 23, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Voter Information for Coloradans Displaced by Wildland Fires

Denver, October 23, 2020 – With a number of counties throughout the state impacted by wildland fires, voters have a number of options to ensure they are still able to cast a ballot in the upcoming General Election on November 3.

Voters needing a replacement ballot can get one at any Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC) in their county or request a ballot be mailed to them, as long as that request is made by Monday October 26. Voters displaced outside of their county can receive a replacement statewide ballot at any VSPC in the state. Those who have voted their mail ballot can place it in any drop box in the state of Colorado and it will be forwarded to their appropriate county.

In addition, first responders working to combat fires, as well as voters who have been displaced by a fire can receive and return an emergency replacement ballot electronically, using Colorado’s electronic ballot delivery system. Contact your county clerk for more information about emergency ballots, and for the latest status on VSPC and drop box closures or other voter service interruptions.

Monday is the last day for voters to request a ballot from their clerk and receive it in the mail. It also the last day for voters to return their mail ballot via the U.S. Postal Service. After Monday, all voters are encouraged to return their mail ballot by returning it to a drop box or VSPC.

For more information, please visit, www.GoVoteColorado.gov.

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
October 20, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold to Launch Misinformation Initiative

Denver, October 20, 2020 – Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced today that her office is expanding its efforts to combat foreign influence operations leading up to the November General Election. The initiative includes social media and digital outreach and a website to help voters identify foreign misinformation. The initiative further encourages voters to access accurate information as well as tips on how Coloradans can fight back and stop the spread of incorrect material.

“Colorado is considered the safest state in which to cast a ballot, and we continually innovate to maintain our leading cyber preparedness. Foreign adversaries are conducting influence operations to try to undermine Americans’ confidence in the electoral process, and states must act” said Secretary Griswold. “That’s why we are launching efforts to combat misinformation. It’s important that voters have accurate election information.”

The Federal Government has consistently warned that foreign countries are targeting our election. Just last month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency provided the most pointed warnings to date, noting foreign actors may try to undermine confidence in election results by spreading disinformation on fake websites, altering existing legitimate websites, sending fraudulent emails, or releasing articles in fake online journals. In response to the threat environment, Secretary Griswold created the Rapid Response Election Security Cyber Unit (RESCU) earlier this summer to help combat foreign misinformation and emerging cyber threats.

Academic studies and our allies’ experiences indicate that mitigating foreign misinformation and disinformation requires ensuring citizens are aware of the threat, think critically about what they see on social media, and know where to find reliable information.

As a result, the RESCU team is, in coordination with partners in and outside of government, advancing numerous initiatives to increase voter’s resilience to such threats, including a public outreach effort. The expanded initiative to combat misinformation will help Coloradans understand that when it comes to registering, voting, and election results, “opinions are fun, but facts are better,” inspiring voters to seek reliable electoral process information from trusted sources. A special website has also been created to help voters further be able to identify and combat foreign disinformation.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s office is also working with governmental partners such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on additional election security measures.

For more information, please visit, www.GoVoteColorado.gov

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
October 19, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

Early In-Person Voting Begins Statewide Today

Denver, October 19, 2020 – Voter Service and Polling Centers (VSPCs) across Colorado are now open statewide for the November 3 General Election, enabling Coloradans to vote or drop off their ballots in-person. Already early voting in the state has been massive, with 641,271 ballots returned.

“Coloradans have been incredibly engaged this election, and we expect that will continue,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. “This year, there are an additional 42 voting centers for the convenience of Colorado voters, for a grand total of 342 statewide.”

Drop boxes and VSPCs must be open today statewide, but some counties opened some drop boxes and VSPCs earlier. This year, 383 drop boxes and 342 VSPCs are available statewide for Colorado voters, an increase from 2018 of over 42 VSPCs and more than 130 drop boxes. To find the nearest drop box or VSPC, voters can use a search tool located on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. For the first time, voters across the state can also track their ballots from when they are sent to when they are processed by signing up for BallotTrax at GoVoteColorado.gov.

For those who prefer to vote in-person, the Secretary of State issued election rules and guidance to help ensure voting in-person is as safe as possible, including PPE for poll workers and social distancing requirements. The Secretary of State’s Office has helped provide counties PPE and will also reimburse counties for sick pay for poll workers.

Voted ballots must be received by county election officials by 7 p.m. on November 3. After October 26, voters are encouraged to return their ballot to a drop box or VSPC rather than by mail to ensure their ballot is received before the deadline.

It’s not too late to register to vote. To be mailed a ballot, please register by October 26. After that, eligible Coloradans can register and vote in-person through 7 p.m. on Election Day.

To register to vote, check your registration, or for election information, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.

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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
October 9, 2020
Betsy Hart
Steve Hurlbert

General Election Ballots Mailed to Voters Beginning Today

Denver, October 9, 2020 – County clerks will begin mailing ballots to Colorado voters starting today. To limit the spread of COVID-19, Secretary of State Jena Griswold is encouraging Coloradans to return their voted ballot by drop box or mail.

“Voting in Colorado is safe, secure, and accessible, and it’s time for Coloradans to make their voices heard,” said Secretary of Griswold. “This election will be particularly unique because of the added access for Coloradans. Since 2018, across Colorado, drop boxes have increased by 55% and 42 voting centers have been added, enabling more Coloradans to have easy access to voting.”

Drop boxes and Voter Service and Polling Centers (VSPCs) must be open on Monday, October 19 for early voting but some counties may be opening some drop boxes and VSPCs earlier. This year, 383 drop boxes and 342 VSPCs will be available statewide for Colorado voters, an increase from 2018 of over 130 drop boxes. In addition to drop boxes funded by the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, many counties added boxes independently. To find the nearest drop box or VSPC, voters can use a search tool located on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. For the first time, voters across the state can also track their ballots from when they are sent to when they are processed by signing up for BallotTrax at GoVoteColorado.gov.

Voted ballots must be received by county election officials by 7 p.m. on November 3. After October 26, voters are encouraged to return their ballot by drop box or VSPC rather than by mail to ensure their ballot is received before the deadline.

For those who prefer to vote in-person, the Secretary of State has issued election rules and guidance to help ensure voting in-person is as safe as possible, including PPE for poll workers and social distancing requirements.

It’s not too late to register to vote. To be mailed a ballot, please register by October 26. After that, eligible Coloradans can register and vote in-person through 7 p.m. on Election Day.

To register to vote, check your registration, or for election information, please visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov.

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