Officials Urge Voters to Avoid Procrastinating; “Turn in Your Ballots”
Rick Langenberg
The big day is right around the corner, with election officials projecting record turnouts for the Nov. 5 showdown, nearing the 100 percent mark in certain areas.
No contest in modern times has rivaled the media attention generated by Election 2024. But alas: The endless bout of preliminary election predictions and reams of insider talk (when of course everyone is a certified expert) is now coming to an end.
Next Tuesday (Nov. 5) at 7 p.m. marks the deadline for returning ballots or casting tallies at designated voter service/polling centers for a highly-watched presidential election that has grabbed national and local attention for months. And the contest between former President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Kamala Harris is just one of the key decisions facing local voters, who are being asked to grapple through 40 or so contests and questions. The ballot local and state voters recently received has been dubbed as the longest and most extensive in the entire country.
Election officials are pleading with voters to return their ballots as soon as possible, at designated, 24/7, secure drop-boxes, or by visiting a designated polling center, or else they could face delays, confusion or possibly big lines on election day. Already, national media reports have indicated that (as of this writing) close to 20 million voters have already turned in their ballots across the country.
The deadline has passed for mailing-in ballots, so voters must use the drop-box outlets or designated voter centers.
Most Teller voters have used the drop-box system in the past, according to officials from the Teller County Clerk & Recorder’s Office.
For election 2024, these are located in three outlets throughout Teller County, including the motor vehicle office in Woodland Park (800 Research Drive, Suite 200), the Divide Marketplace (11115 U.S. Hwy. 24) and the Teller County Courthouse (101 W. Bennett Avenue) And if you wish to cast tallies in-person, a slew of options are available, via the county’s designated voter service-polling centers. If you want to vote early, a convenient hub has been established at the Woodland Park Public Library on the ground floor (218 Midland Avenue) from now through Monday, Nov. 4 (from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) during the week. The center will also be open on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to noon.
And then on election day, the Woodland Park vote center will operate between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition, other vote center outlets will be available the same hours on election day at the Florissant Library and at the Centennial Building in Cripple Creek.
For lower Ute Pass residents, they must rely on the services provided by El Paso County. The best drop-box outlet for these voters is the Manitou Springs City Hall (606 Manitou Avenue). In addition, El Paso County will feature close to 20 voter service and polling centers on election day, and quite a hefty number for early voting.
And if you haven’t registered to vote yet, and want to participate in Election 2024, you still can, by visiting one of the designated voter service/polling centers in the area where you currently reside. You will need a valid Colorado driver’s license, or a social security card, to complete this process.
In any case, officials and community leaders have one key message to residents: Make sure to vote, as our voice matters and can make a difference.
Officials are expecting a huge turnout due to the interest in the presidential race, along with the attention generated by an epic-level of state ballot questions. And recently, a number of key local issues came into play with significant ballot propositions dealing with continuing a city sales tax to benefit the Woodland Park RE-2 School District and providing additional funds for the local ambulance district, along with two county issues dealing with extending term limits for certain positions (See related story).
TMJ will provide detailed election coverage on Nov. 5 and the days following the election. Visit us at mountainjackpot.com or check out our Facebook page for the latest election updates.