The success of the democratic process requires fair and open elections which accurately reflect the intent of the electorate, therefore, it is our mission to conduct accurate and fair elections and in so doing protect and promote public trust and confidence by the way in which we conduct those elections. We are responsible for the integrity of the election process, and in so doing; these principles must be placed above personal or partisan gain.
November 5, 2019 Coordinated Election will be an all-mail ballot delivery. Ballots will be mailed to all active eligible registered electors the week of October 14, 2019.
IMPORTANT: If you do not live in one of the participating entity boundaries you will not receive a ballot for the November 5, 2019 Coordinated Election.
October 14 – 18, 2019: Ballots will be mailed to all active eligible electors.
Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder’s Office Election Department will be open on Saturday, November 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for ballot drop off, replacement ballots.
Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder’s Office is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
at 140 W. Main St. Suite #1 Cortez Co. 81321.
Election Information: What is a Coordinated Election?
Coordinated Elections are held in November in odd numbered years (2017, 2019, 2021 etc.) This election is where more than one political subdivision with overlapping boundaries or the same electors hold an election on the same day and the eligible electors are all registered electors, the county clerk and recorder is the coordinated election official for those political subdivisions.
All registered active eligible voter may cast a ballot.
Entities (school districts, municipals, special districts) that have candidates or questions certify this information to the County Clerk and Recorder to be placed on the ballot.
These elections are non-partisan elections; candidates are not put on the ballot based on political party affiliation nor is their affiliation listed on the ballot.
The Clerk and Recorder is only coordinating or running the election for the entities.
The Clerk and Recorder is not responsible for what is placed on the ballot; that information comes certified to the Clerk from the entities that are participating.
Information about these candidates or questions are to be obtained from the entity that certified the candidates or the question to the Clerk. The Clerk will not have information about these as the Clerk is to remain neutral about the election.
C.R.S. 1-13-106 Forgery– Any person who falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits any ballot before or after it has been cast, or who forges any name of a person as a signer or witness to a petition or nomination paper, or who forges any letter of acceptance, declination, or withdrawal, or who forges the name of a registered elector to a voter’s mail-in or mail ballot commits forgery which is a class five 5 felony.
C.R.S. 1-13-112 Offenses relating to mail ballots – Any person who, by use of force or other means, unduly influences an elector to vote in any particular manner or to refrain from voting, or who falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits any mail ballot before or after it has been cast, or who destroys, defaces, mutilates, or tampers with such a ballot shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than eighteen months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
You can also reach our office by email at kpercell@co.montezuma.co.us .
The 2019 Coordinated Election will be held in Montezuma County, Colorado, on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. All active registered voters may participate.
Mail Ballots: Beginning on October 14, 2019, the Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder will send a mail ballot to every active voter. To be counted, mail ballots must be returned to and in the hands of the Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder no later than 7:00 pm on Election Day, November 5, 2019. Postmarks do not count.
Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, 140 W. Main St., Ste. 1 Cortez, CO 81321. October 28, 2019, Monday -Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Open Saturday November 2, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Registering to Vote: If you are not registered to vote in Colorado, and are a citizen of the United States, will have attained the age of 18 years and resided in Colorado for at least 22 days by Election Day, you can register to vote until 7 pm on Election Day. If you want to receive a mail ballot, you must do so before October 28, 2019; otherwise, you will need to visit a Voter Service and Polling Center to vote. You can register to vote or update your existing voter registration at www.govotecolorado.com, a Voter Service and Polling Center (see Polling Location, above), or the Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder’s office at 140 W. Main St. Ste. 1, Cortez, CO 81321.
Method of Voting: All General, Primary, Congressional Vacancy, Coordinated, Odd-Year and Recall elections shall be by Mail Ballot Delivery. Mail Ballot Delivery Election means an election for which eligible electors receive ballots by mail and vote by mailing those ballots or depositing the ballots at a drop-off location.
You must be a citizen of the United States by birth or naturalization.
You must be eighteen years of age or older on the date of the next ensuing election.
You must have resided in the state and the precinct 22 days immediately prior to the election at which you intend to vote.
Voter registration is allowed up to and on Election Day (same-day registration) and all registered voters will receive mail-in ballots (no need to apply for one).
Each elector registering shall sign his/her name on the registration record or, if unable to write, shall make a personal mark or be provided assistance by the county clerk or any person authorized by the clerk or the elector.
No person can register another or make any changes to the voter registration record except the voter themselves.
The ballot you receive in the mail is your official ballot and the ballot you need to vote and return to our office for processing. Ballots are mailed to all Active Eligible Voters. As soon as you receive your ballot you may vote the ballot with your choices and then return it to the Clerk & Recorder’s Office during office hours or by mail.
You will receive the ballot, secrecy sleeve and return envelope.
Use a blue or black pen that will not bleed through the paper to vote your ballot. Completely fill in the oval next to the selection you want to vote for.
If you do not want to vote the entire ballot, simply mark your selections and leave the rest blank.
Place your ballot in the secrecy sleeve that came with your ballot.
Place the ballot inside of the secrecy sleeve in your return envelope addressed to Montezuma County Clerk & Recorder’s Office at 140 W. Main Street, Suite 1 Cortez, CO 81321.
Before sealing the envelope, please sign the signature affidavit located on the back of the envelope. This is required in order for your ballot to be processed. We must compare every signature to make sure that the intended voter was the one who signed the envelope.
Tribal Complex Building 124 Mike Wash Road Towaoc Co. 81334 (No postage necessary).
What if my ballot does not arrive? If your General Election ballot does not arrive. Please come to the Montezuma County Clerk & Recorder’s Office at 140 W. Main Street, Suite 1 Cortez, CO 81321to obtain a replacement ballot.
I spoiled my ballot, now what do I do? Please call the Montezuma County Clerk & Recorder’s Office at 565-3728 or stop by our office. You may obtain a replacement ballot during normal business hours; from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What do I do with my mail-in ballot? You can vote your ballot any time after you receive the ballot. You can either mail it back with a first class stamp or bring it to the Montezuma County Clerk & Recorder’s Office at 140 W. Main Street, Suite 1 Cortez, CO 81321. Or drop it in the 24/7 Drive up Drop Box. All ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. election day in order to be counted.