Colorado Voter Guide

1. Register

Be sure you are registered and all your information, like your mailing address, is up to date. Simply visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov to get started. 

All voters registered by October 26 will receive a ballot in the mail. You can register up to and on Election Day, but if you don’t register by October 26 you’ll need to vote in person.

Young people who will be 18 years old on or before Election Day (November 3, 2020) can register and vote in the election.

2. Watch for your ballot in the mail

Election Day is November 3. Colorado’s county clerks will mail ballots between October 9 and October 16. 

To check the status of your mail ballot visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov. If you have further questions about your mail ballot's status, contact your local county clerk and recorder's office.

3. Vote

After your ballot arrives, fill it out. You can return your ballot by:

• Mailing it back (requires postage and must be mailed by Oct. 26)
• Dropping it off to a 24/7 ballot drop box location (Oct. 19 through Nov. 3)
• Submitting it at a Voter Service and Polling Center (Oct. 19 through Nov. 3)

Find a ballot drop box location, your local polling locations, or county requirements for postage by visiting the website of your county election office. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on November 3. 

Where to vote in person

If you prefer to vote in person (or if you registered to vote after October 26), find polling locations in your area by contacting your local county clerk. 

1. Suicide is the leading cause of death in Colorado for children ages 10 to 24. What do you think are the most urgent challenges in our mental health system, and how will you work to improve them?
2. Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety often start surprisingly early in life, with 1 in 6 young people having a diagnosable mental health condition by the age of 18. Prevention and early intervention are critical, so what ideas do you have to ensure kids receive quality mental health care as early as possible in life?
3. Kids don’t choose their life circumstances, and we know that access to care is vital to ensure that all kids have a healthy start in life. What do you think is the best approach to guarantee all kids have access to affordable, high quality healthcare?
4. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, kids are feeling more isolated than ever. How will you support mental health supports for kids in schools as we continue navigating this challenging time? 
5. Housing and food security are two important factors that influence the trajectory of a child’s life. How will you advance health equity in our state to ensure all kids have the opportunity to live a happy and healthy life? 
6. Telehealth has become an essential element of providing physical and mental health therapies and services to kids while they’ve been at home. What will you do to ensure access to telehealth continues to be expanded and protected across our state and region? 
7. Over a quarter of our high school students are vaping here in Colorado. What measures do you propose to help curb this dangerous epidemic? 

The presidential race

It’s a “once-in-four-years” opportunity for the nation as we elect the chief executive branch official of our country for the next four years. The president is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress and, to that end, appoints the heads of federal agencies. This includes the appointment of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who administers programs and makes key decisions related to public health and social services for kids and families. 

Here’s who’s running for office and how you can learn more about what they stand for:

Donald Trump, with Mike Pence (Republican)

• Incumbent, first elected in 2016 
• Learn more about Donald Trump: DonaldJTrump.com

Joe Biden, with Kamala Harris (Democrat)

• Former Vice President under President Barack Obama 
• Learn more about Joe Biden: JoeBiden.com

The Senate race 

One of Colorado’s two Senate seats is up for election this year. The winner will serve in the U.S. Senate for the next six years. 

Here’s who running for office and how you can learn more about what they stand for:

Cory Gardner (Republican)

• Incumbent, first elected in 2014
• Learn more about Cory Gardner: Gardner.Senate.gov

John Hickenlooper (Democrat) 

• Former Governor of Colorado
• Learn more about John Hickenlooper: Hickenlooper.com

Other races

Be sure to vote your whole ballot. While races for president or Congress get the most attention, local races like state legislator or county commissioner matter just as much and have an impact that’s often closer to home. So, take a few minutes to research the candidates and issues on your ballot to make your voice is heard. A comprehensive, non-partisan resource for other federal, state and local candidates is VoteSmart.org.

In November, Colorado voters have the chance to improve our children’s health, provide desperately needed funding for public schools and ensure universal, free preschool for all Colorado kids. By increasing taxes on big tobacco and closing the tax loophole for vape products, we can create a brighter, healthier future for Colorado’s kids. 

With the passage of Proposition EE, cigarette taxes would slowly increase from 84 cents in 2020 to $2.64 in 2027. It would also close the vaping tax loophole, slowly increasing taxes in line with other tobacco products (62%) by 2027.

The measure would raise $375 million for schools by 2023, $2 billion for universal preschool over the next 10 years, $35 million for affordable housing and eviction assistance by 2023, and $110 million in new money for tobacco-vape cessation and other public health programs. 

Children’s Hospital Colorado is encouraging a “YES” vote on Proposition EE

Why we support it:

• Nearly 26% of Colorado high schoolers are currently vaping, and 1,500 Colorado kids under the age of 18 become new smokers each year. 
• Nicotine has a particularly potent effect on teenagers based on how their brains are growing and reorganizing. The teenage brain is especially vulnerable to nicotine, which can have lasting effects into adulthood. Teens who use nicotine show lower cognitive function, shorter attention spans and increased impulsivity, depression and anxiety in adulthood.
• Research has shown that teens who begin using e-cigarettes are more likely to become cigarette smokers, leading to a lifetime of addiction.
• Our teen vaping rate is one of the highest in the country, yet we don’t tax those products. Our tax on tobacco products is among the lowest in the country. At the same time, our public education system is facing drastic budget cuts due to the pandemic. And thousands of Colorado families are struggling to pay for food, rent and health care, putting essential preschool education for their children well beyond their reach.
• We know that raising taxes on tobacco and vape products helps people – particularly our teens – quit using and discourages them from ever starting. By increasing taxes on tobacco products and closing the tax loophole on vape products, we can boost our public health and support each child’s education. It’s an investment we need now more than ever.

Other organizations supporting Proposition EE:

• American Academy of Pediatrics, CO Chapter
• American Heart Association
• American Lung Association
• Colorado Academy of Family Physicians
• Colorado Association for School Based Health Care
• Colorado Rural Schools Alliance
• Colorado Cancer Coalition
• Colorado Children’s Campaign
• Colorado PTA
• Gary Community Investment Company
• Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council
• Rose Community Foundation

The Gallagher Amendment fixes residential property tax rates at 45% of the statewide property tax base and sets the non-residential property tax rate at 29%. As residential valuations have grown over time, this has forced the state to lower residential property tax rates in order to keep the statewide residential tax base “balanced” with commercial property revenue. For some areas in the state, this has resulted in lower tax revenue for rural Colorado cities, counties, healthcare and hospitals, fire districts schools and more. 

Children’s Hospital Colorado is encouraging a “YES” vote on Amendment B

Why we support it:

• If left in place, the Gallagher Amendment will mean $500-$700 million less in the local share of funding for services over the next two years, including K-12 education.
• With these potential cuts, the state must backfill at the expense of other state budget priorities, like healthcare.

Read about Amendment B and why the Denver Post editorial board has endorsed it.

Colorado has already cut over $3 billion from its state budget this year due to COVID-19. This initiative would cut the state’s income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55%, reducing state government revenue by an estimated $170 million in the next fiscal year. 

Children’s Hospital Colorado is encouraging a “NO” vote on Proposition 116

Why we oppose it: 

• Colorado’s current income tax rate has not been a barrier to our state’s growth and economic development.
• Proposition 116 will weaken government services and social supports already severely cut by the economic downturn created by the COVID-19 pandemic and force deeper cuts to critical infrastructure like healthcare, K-12 schools, transportation, and our state colleges and universities. Now is not the time to reduce revenue even more, on top of the deep budget cuts we’ve already made. 
• The majority of Prop 116's benefits ($90 million) would go to the top 3% of Colorado earners. For example, someone making $1 million will receive $800, while the average Colorado taxpayer would see only $37 in tax savings. 

This initiative would add a new provision to state law, requiring voter permission before state government can create new “enterprises,” which are fee-funded entities in state government that operate like a business. Enterprises have been used to help fund important programs in healthcare, transportation and Colorado’s colleges and universities. 

Children’s Hospital Colorado is encouraging a “NO” vote on Proposition 117

Why we oppose it: 

• Proposition 117 will make the creation of enterprise funds much harder, and could threaten existing enterprise funds as well, risking devastating cuts to hospitals, colleges and universities, roads and bridges, state parks and more.
• This complicated and vague ballot measure prompts more questions than it answers and means Colorado could be left without a critical tool for providing services.

You’ll see a number of other measures on the ballot this November, including initiatives on election requirements, gray wolf restoration, gaming, abortion prohibition, paid family leave and more.

Cast an informed vote on Colorado's 2020 ballot

Children’s Colorado doesn’t have a position on these measures, but it’s important that you make your voice heard by voting your whole ballot. Be sure to do some research on the ballot measures to help determine how you want to vote. You can do this by referring to Colorado’s non-partisan “Blue Book” summaries at Colorado.gov/Bluebook – a copy of which will be mailed to your home about a month before Election Day – or by researching the websites for each individual ballot measure.

Find out which candidates are running for office in your area at VoteSmart.org.

Just Vote Colorado is a great source of non-partisan information for all things election-related in Colorado.

• 866-OUR-VOTE | 866-687-8683 (English)
• 888-VE-Y-VOTA | 888-839-8682 (Español)