A procrastinator's guide to voting in the Colorado 2022 general election

Eric Larsen, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·6 min read

There's an old saying in journalism that nothing gets done without deadline pressure. If that adage applies to your voting habits, I'll tell you what I tell my reporters when they're pushing deadline: It's time to type your last period and press send.

Colorado voters have had since the week of Oct. 17 to fill out their mail ballots for the 2022 general election. But if your ballot still has an unfilled bubble or two, there's still time to deliver upon your civic duty. Residents age 18 and older who meet eligibility requirements can still register to vote and cast their ballots up until the 7 p.m. Tuesday close of polls.

If you've already voted, congratulations. Wear that "I voted" sticker proudly and check the Coloradoan's coverage after 7 p.m. Election Day for the results. If you still need to return your ballot, though, read on for important information on what to know about voting in Colorado and Larimer County.

Can I register to vote in Colorado on Election Day?

Election judges work with a voter to complete her ballot at the drive-thru ballot drop off location across from the Larimer County Courthouse in Fort Collins on Nov. 3, 2020.
Election judges work with a voter to complete her ballot at the drive-thru ballot drop off location across from the Larimer County Courthouse in Fort Collins on Nov. 3, 2020.

Yes, as long as you're willing to go to a voter service and polling center (more on that later). To register and vote on Tuesday, you'll need to be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen who's lived in Colorado for at least 22 days. Oh, and if you're serving a sentence for a felony conviction, you're not eligible (and probably can't make it to a voting center, anyway).

Make sure you have a Colorado driver's license or ID or know your Social Security number, as that'll streamline the registration process. If you don't have those, you can check the Colorado Secretary of State website for a complete list of accepted identification.

If you don't plan to vote on Election Day, you can always register online at govotecolorado.gov to be ready for the next election, but you'll need to show up to a voting center before 7 p.m. Tuesday if you want to cast your 2022 ballot.

If you've already cast your ballot, you can check its status at the secretary of state's website.

Finally, one pro tip on Colorado's same-day registration. The Larimer County Clerk and Recorder's Office typically offers an online tracker of wait times at voter service centers on Election Day. If you're worried about getting in over your lunch hour, head to larimer.gov/clerk/elections/current-elections/2022 for a look at your best options.

Campaign spending:Who's raising the most money this election in Larimer County? Here are the reports

Where can I learn more about Colorado's 2022 election races and ballot measures?

If you're a Larimer County resident, the Coloradoan has you covered. Visit Coloradoan.com and click on our 2022 voter guide for stories and more information on 19 of the races on the ballot that will most closely impact voters in the Fort Collins area.

If you're looking for more on those top-ballot statewide races, our colleagues at the Colorado Sun have compiled a helpful and comprehensive voter guide that I'd encourage any voter to consult.

More:You may be voting in a new district in Colorado this election. Here's why, and how to check.

Where can I vote on Election Day in Larimer County?

Election judge David Leathers seals a ballot box as another election worker, Eric Smith, prepares to take it away to the Larimer County office building during an exchange of boxes Nov. 3, 2020, at Safeway, 1426 E. Harmony Road, in Fort Collins.
Election judge David Leathers seals a ballot box as another election worker, Eric Smith, prepares to take it away to the Larimer County office building during an exchange of boxes Nov. 3, 2020, at Safeway, 1426 E. Harmony Road, in Fort Collins.

Depending on whether you need a ballot or are just dropping yours off, you have a variety of options. Here's where to go when you've made all your voting decisions:

Voter service centers

At these centers, which will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Election Day, voters can drop off their ballot, vote in person, vote on an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible voting machine, obtain a replacement ballot, change their address or register to vote.

  • Colorado State University Durrell Center, 950 W. Plum St., Fort Collins

  • Larimer County Administrative Services, 200 W. Oak St., first floor, Fort Collins

  • Clearwater Church, 2700 S. Lemay Ave., Fort Collins

  • Council Tree Covenant Church, 4825 S. Lemay Ave., Fort Collins

  • Drake Centre, 802 W. Drake Ave., Fort Collins

  • Elks Lodge, 1424 E. Mulberry St., Fort Collins

  • Hilton Hotel, 425 W. Prospect Road, Fort Collins

  • American Legion, 2124 County Road 54G, Fort Collins

  • Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., Fort Collins

  • Fort Collins Country Club, 1920 Country Club Road, Fort Collins

  • Front Range Community College Longs Peak Student Center, 4616 S. Shields St., Fort Collins

  • Loveland Police & Courts , 810 E. 10th St., Loveland

  • Crossroads Church, 5420 N. Taft Ave., Loveland

  • Grace Community Church, 240 Barberry Place, Loveland

  • King of Glory Lutheran Church, 2919 N. Wilson Ave., Loveland

  • The Ranch Events Complex McKee Building, 5280 Arena Circle, Loveland

  • Estes Valley Community Center, 660 Community Drive, Estes Park

  • Brookside Gardens, 619 E. County Road 8, Berthoud

  • Timnath Town Center, 4750 Signal Tree Drive, Timnath

  • River of Life Fellowship, 3161 County Road 62E, Wellington

24-hour ballot drop boxes

Head to one of these locations anytime before 7 p.m. Tuesday to return your ballot:

Fort Collins

  • Colorado State University Lory Student Center (walk-up), 1101 Center Avenue Mall

  • Elks Lodge (walk-up/drive-thru), 1424 E. Mulberry St.

  • Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity ReStore (walk-up/drive-thru), 4001 S. Taft Hill Road

  • Fort Collins Police Services (walk-up/drive-thru), 2221 S. Timberline Road

  • Fort Collins Senior Center (walk-up/drive-thru), 1200 Raintree Drive

  • Fort Collins Traffic Operations (walk-up/drive-thru), 626 Linden St.

  • Harmony Library (walk-up), 4616 S. Shields St.

  • Larimer County Administrative Services (walk-up outside southwest entrance), 200 W. Oak St.

  • Larimer County Human Services (walk-up), 1501 Blue Spruce Drive

  • Northside Aztlan Community Center (walk-up/drive-thru), 112 E. Willow St.

  • South Transit Center (walk-up), 4915 Fossil Blvd.

Loveland

  • Loveland Habitat for Humanity ReStore (walk-up/drive-thru), 5250 N. Garfield Ave.

  • Loveland Police & Courts (drive-thru), 810 E. 10th St.

  • Loveland Public Library (drive-thru), 300 N. Adams Ave.

  • Loveland Vehicle Licensing Office (drive-thru), 200 Peridot Ave.

Elsewhere in Larimer County

  • Estes Park Municipal Building (walk-up/drive-thru), 170 MacGregor Ave.

  • Estes Park Vehicle Licensing Office (walk-up/drive-thru), 1601 Brodie Ave.

  • Ted's Place (walk-up/drive-thru), 92 Poudre Canyon Road, Bellvue

  • Berthoud Community Library (walk-up/drive-thru), 236 Welch Ave.

  • Overland Foods (walk-up), 3333 County Road 54G, Laporte

  • Red Feather Lakes Community Library (walk-up/drive-thru), 71 Fire House Lane

  • Timnath Public Works Building (walk-up/drive-thru), 4800 Goodman Road

  • Wellington Public Library (walk-up/drive-thru), 3800 Wilson Ave.

Sunday's top story:New Colorado law gives Larimer County law enforcement tool to combat fentanyl crisis

Where to get Larimer County election results

Kristin Stephens, left, who was running for Larimer County commissioner, sits beside her son Sanjay Chatnani as they speak with friends and family through the computer while waiting for election results at her home in Fort Collins in November 2020.
Kristin Stephens, left, who was running for Larimer County commissioner, sits beside her son Sanjay Chatnani as they speak with friends and family through the computer while waiting for election results at her home in Fort Collins in November 2020.

Be sure to visit Coloradoan.com throughout the day Tuesday for the lead-up to election night and the release of results after 7 p.m. We'll have live-blog coverage of voting, election watch parties and the results, and will follow up with analysis of what the results mean for the area's future.

Full results are unlikely to be released on Tuesday night, so we'll have continued online coverage of any close races as ballot counting continues, which may extend into Wednesday and Thursday. Post-election coverage will be posted online immediately after it is ready and will begin to be featured in Thursday's Coloradoan print edition.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: A procrastinator's guide to voting in the Colorado general election