The Office of the Clerk and Recorder will send approximately 4,100 ballots for the Presidential Primary Election to voters classified under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) on January 18. These voters with special circumstances include military and their dependents living out of state, and citizens who reside out of the country. Holding the highest amount of active UOCAVA voters in the State of Colorado, the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Office pays special attention to these voters.
“In 1988 President Ronald Reagan issued an executive order that began the basis of rights of citizens who are overseas and members of our Armed Services serving aboard contained in the UOCAVA Act,” said Clerk and Recorder Chuck Broerman. “Although these voters may be very far away from home, the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Election team is honored to make this opportunity available to them.”
Besides receiving their ballots earlier, the UOCAVA voters also have an extended time to return their ballot to the Clerk and Recorder’s Office. Whereas local voters must return their ballot by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day to count, UOCAVA ballots postmarked by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day will count if they arrive as late as eight days after the election. The postmark is counted as valid only on UOCAVA ballots, and not for local voters. UOCAVA voters can vote and return their ballot by mail, fax or email to the Clerk and Recorder’s Office.
Citizens and UOCAVA voters may obtain additional information by contacting the Election staff members who have expertise in this area at uocava@elpasoco.com. They also may visit the website for the Colorado Secretary of State.