Election 2026 FAQs: How to vote in Colorado this year

What are the midterms?

Midterm elections take place two years after a presidential election, marking the middle of that president’s term. These elections focus on Congress. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats will be decided in the 2026 midterm elections. Election Day for the midterms is Nov. 3.

Primary elections decide which candidates will be on the ballot in each state. Primary elections are held on different dates, depending on the state, between March 3 and Sept. 15. Colorado’s primary election is June 30.

In the midterms, voters decide which political party holds the majority in each chamber of Congress. Currently, Republicans hold a 53-to-47 majority in the Senate and a slim 218-to-214 majority in the House of Representatives.

When can I vote?

The last day to vote in the Colorado primary election is Tuesday, June 30. Mail ballots will be sent to overseas and military voters May 16 and to domestic voters June 8. Ballot drop boxes open June 8. June 22 is the last day to send back your ballot in the mail and ensure it arrives on time.

The last day to vote in the midterm election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Mail ballots will be sent to voters Oct. 2. The last recommended day to mail your completed ballot is Oct. 26.

In-person early voting dates vary depending on the county. For the primary election, the minimum number of polling locations must be open by June 22. But some polling locations, like those in Denver, will open June 15.  For the midterm election, the minimum number of polling locations must be open by Oct. 19. 

You can find the contact information for your local election official here, to learn more about the specific early voting dates in your county.

How can I vote?

You can vote by mail or in person at a polling location. You can find nearby polling locations here.

In Colorado, every voter receives a mail ballot, sent to the address listed on your voter registration. You can fill out the mail ballot at home and send it back in the mail or deliver it in person to a ballot drop off or drop box location. You can find nearby drop off locations here.

Mail ballots must be received by the county clerk and recorder by 7 p.m. on Election Day. You can check the status of your mail ballot here. For the primary election, it’s recommended that you mail your completed ballot by June 22 to make sure it arrives in time. For the midterm election, you’ll want to mail it by Oct. 26.

What am I voting on?

The big statewide races this year are for Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General and one U.S. Senate seat. All of Colorado's eight House of Representatives seats will be on the ballot.

All 65 of the State House of Representatives seats and 21 of the 35 State Senate seats will be on the ballot.

Where can I register to vote?

You can register to vote online at the Colorado Secretary of State’s website, or you can fill out this form and submit it to your county clerk and recorder’s office by mail, email or in person.

You can also register to vote in person at any Colorado driver’s license office or at a polling location. 

What do I need to register to vote?

To register to vote, you need a valid form of identification, such as a Colorado driver’s license, Colorado ID card, or Social Security Number. You can find a complete list of acceptable forms of identification here. You will also need to provide your current residential address. If you receive mail at a different address, you’ll need to provide that information too.

I’m already registered. How can I check my voter registration?

You can check your voter registration status on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website.

How can I update my registration?

You can update your voter information, like your address, mail-in voter status and party affiliation, online on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. After you log in with your name, ZIP code and birthday, you’ll be asked to verify your identity with your Colorado driver’s license number, Colorado ID card number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. After that, you can edit your information.

To change your name on your voter registration, you must fill out this form, and submit it via mail, email or in person to your country clerk and recorder’s office.

How do I know if I’m eligible to register to vote?

You’re eligible to vote in the Colorado primary and midterm elections if you are a U.S. citizen, a Colorado resident for at least 22 days before the election, at least 15 years old and not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction. While you can pre-register at 15 years old, you must be at least 18 years old to vote.

When do I need to register to vote by?

You can register to vote in person at a voter service and polling center through Election Day. But if you want to receive your ballot in the mail, you need to register or update your voter registration sooner. 

You can register online at www.GoVoteColorado.gov or submit an application through the mail or in person at a voter registration agency or driver’s license office eight days before Election Day. For the Colorado primary election, that deadline is June 22. For the midterm election, that deadline is Oct. 26.

Applications submitted through a voter registration drive need to be in no later than 22 days before Election Day. For the Colorado primary election, that deadline is June 8. For the midterm election, that deadline is Oct. 12.

How can I find out more about how elections are run and secured?

Voter fraud is extraordinarily rare. Studies have found that incidents of voter fraud in the last two decades have not exceeded 0.02%, which is an inflated estimate.

In Colorado, voting equipment, like ballot boxes, voting sites and voting machines, are under 24-hour camera surveillance. Ballots are counted by a machine to avoid human error. After the ballots have been counted, election officials compare the machine’s results against randomly selected paper ballots to ensure accuracy, and a board of citizen volunteers (appointed by each political party) further review the results.

County clerks are responsible for conducting elections, and your county clerk and recorder is the expert on how elections are run in your county. You can find the contact information for your county clerk and recorder here.