Friday, Oct. 2, is the first day Colorado’s county clerks may mail ballots for the Nov. 3 general election. Every active registered voter gets one in the mail, so the practical questions are simple: when it will show up, when it has to be back, and what to do if it never arrives. Here are the answers from the Colorado Secretary of State’s office and county clerks along the Front Range.
When ballots go out
The Secretary of State’s office says county clerks will mail ballots through the Postal Service to every active voter between Oct. 2 and Oct. 9. Oct. 2 is the first day clerks may send them, and Oct. 9 is the deadline for that first mailing.
The exact day depends on your county. Larimer County lists Oct. 2 as the first day its ballots may be mailed, and Douglas County says its ballots will be mailed beginning Oct. 2. Jefferson County’s calendar lists Oct. 5 for ballots mailed and drop boxes open.
Your ballot goes to the mailing address in your voter registration file, according to the state’s mail ballot FAQ. If you have moved, check or update your registration at GoVoteColorado.gov, the state’s voter portal, before your county mails.
The dates to put on your calendar
- Oct. 2 to Oct. 9: county clerks mail ballots to active voters.
- Oct. 12: the minimum number of required drop boxes must be open statewide. Some counties open earlier. Larimer County says its 24 ballot boxes open Oct. 2, and Douglas County’s drop boxes also open Oct. 2.
- Oct. 19: the minimum number of required voter centers must be open for in-person voting. Larimer, Jefferson and Douglas counties all list Monday, Oct. 19, for their vote centers.
- Oct. 26: the deadline to register to vote and still be mailed a ballot. After that date, the state says, voters may register and vote in person.
- Oct. 26: the last suggested day to return a ballot by mail. Starting Oct. 27, the state says voters who have not returned their ballot should deliver it in person.
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters must submit their ballot or be in line to vote by 7 p.m.
- Nov. 12: Larimer and Douglas counties list this as the last day to fix a signature discrepancy, a missing signature or a missing ID so a ballot can count.
How to return your ballot
The state gives voters three ways to return a ballot: by mail, at a drop box, or in person at a voter service and polling center. Mail ballots must be received by the county clerk no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, which is why the state suggests Oct. 26 as the last day to put one in the mail. The state’s FAQ says drop box locations are under video surveillance around the clock.
Whichever way you return it, sign the envelope. The state’s FAQ tells voters to be sure to sign it, and the signature is what your county checks before it counts the ballot. Larimer County’s elections office shows that process step by step in a short video, which we posted in Watch: The Life of a Ballot.
If your ballot does not arrive
- Track it. The state’s BallotTrax system lets you follow your ballot from the day it is sent to the day it is accepted.
- Ask for a replacement. The state’s FAQ says you may request a replacement mail ballot from your county clerk. Larimer County tells voters who have not received a ballot by Monday, Oct. 12, to call its office.
- Vote in person. You may also vote at a voter service and polling center once they open.
What is on the ballot
The Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly publishes the State Ballot Information Booklet, widely known as the Blue Book. The 2026 edition says it provides information on the 14 statewide measures that will appear on the ballot, as well as on judges who will be considered for retention in your area. Local races and measures vary by county, city and district, so your own ballot is the best guide to what you are voting on.
Where to find your county’s details
- Larimer County, including Fort Collins: the county’s 2026 election page lists its ballot boxes and vote centers.
- Jefferson County, including Wheat Ridge, Lakewood and Golden: the county’s Upcoming Election page; the elections phone number listed there is 303-271-8111.
- Douglas County, including Highlands Ranch: the county’s election information page.
- Denver and Arapahoe County: we could not load those counties’ election pages while reporting this article, so check with your county clerk’s office directly. Littleton voters should confirm which county they are registered in.
Sources
- Colorado Secretary of State: 2026 General Election news release (Sept. 23, 2026); Mail-in Ballots FAQs; the 2026 Election Calendar; GoVoteColorado.gov; and BallotTrax.
- Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly: 2026 State Ballot Information Booklet.
- County clerks: Larimer County, Jefferson County and Douglas County.
Dates and locations can change, and your county clerk’s office is the final word on both. This is general information, not legal advice.
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