League of Women Voters^®
of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. League membership is open to women and men. The League of Women voters values diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work.

League Programs Learn More

Ballots were mailed to registered voters starting the week October 9.
When you receive your ballot, vote and return it now!

* National Vote Early Day is October 24, but why wait? Received Your Ballot? Vote Today!

* The Colorado Secretary of State reports that, as of October 20, 924,735 Colorado voters have returned their ballots.
This includes 108,875 Arapahoe County (26%) voters.
Remember that you must sign your ballot envelope (not your ballot!)

* The Voter Service and Polling Center locations opened for early voting on October 19 for those who wish to vote in person.

* Election Protection:
The Colorado Secretary of State's office is working to counteract the false reports of voter suppression that have occurred. But, if you should see or experience voter intimidation, they recommend that you call the Colorado Department of State at 303-894-2200.

In addition, voters can call the Election Protection hotline led by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (866-OUR-VOTE or 866-687-8683), the hotline led by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund (888-Ve-Y-Vota or 866-839-8682), or the hotline led by APIAVote and Asian Americans Advancing Justice (888-API-VOTE or 888-274-8683). The Arab American Institute Yalla Vote Hotline is 844-925-5287. The Election Protection Colorado web page is here: https://866ourvote.org/state-information/colorado/

And voters can report intimidation to county poll workers, their county clerk, or county elections officials.
Arapahoe County Clerk's Elections Division: 303-795-4511 or elections@arapahoegov.com
Douglas County Clerk's Elections Division: 303-660-7444 or elections@douglas.co.us

* Need to register to vote, update your address, or just check your voter registration information? It's quick and easy on the Colorado Secretary of State's website here. Look for the links to Register to vote or Find my registration.

* Want to check whether your ballot was mailed to you starting October 9? That's easy too on the on the Colorado Secretary of State's website here. Look for the link to Find my registration or Review your voter record.

* Want to track your ballot after you return it and be notified when it's mailed to you too? Sign up for the BallotTrax service on the Colorado Secretary of State's website here. Look for the Sign up for BallotTrax here! link.

* Return your ballot early! Mail it with appropriate postage before October 26.

Or, want to find the nearest location to return your ballot? You'll find the locations of drop boxes:
in Arapahoe County here. They opened October 9 and will be available until November 3 at 7 p.m.
and in Douglas County here. They opened October 12 and will be available until November 3 at 7 p.m.

You can also return your ballot to a voter service and polling center. You'll find their locations:
in Arapahoe County here. They won't open until October 19 and will be available until November 3 at 7 p.m. Some will have curbside pickup available.
and in Douglas County here. Some will open October 19 and some will open October 30. All will be available until November 3 at 7 p.m.

Voter Service Committee Meeting

The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Voter Service Committee will meet on Wednesday morning, October 21. This will be an online meeting using Zoom. More.

Management Team Meeting

The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Management Team will meet on Monday evening, October 26. This meeting will be online using Zoom. Info.

New Member Orientation

New League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties members are invited to get better acquainted and learn more about League at our new member orientation on Wednesday evening, October 28. Attendees will receive a new member packet. Members who have been members for a while are welcome too.

Please R.S.V.P. to Jo Feder, 904-608-3932, joluvs10s@gmail.com

This will be an online meeting using Zoom. Details.

Program Committee Meeting

The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Program Committee will meet for their monthly planning session on Friday afternoon, November 13. This will be a remote meeting via Zoom. Details.

Election Central 2020 Learn More

Welcome to the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Election Central 2020 pages with the information you need about the November 3 General Election, registering to vote, checking your voter registration, updating your voter registration address, and becoming a paid election judge. You'll also find links to elections information on the Colorado Secretary of State and Arapahoe County and Douglas County web sites.

☆ You Can Register To Vote Through Election Day
November 3 ☆

Are You Registered To Vote?

It's quick and easy! Register to vote 24/7 on the Colorado Secretary of State's Voter Registration web page here until October 26. After that, go to a voter service and polling center to register in person.

☆ Is Your Voting Address Up To Date? ☆

Need to Update Your Voter Information?

It only takes a few minutes to update your voter registration information online 24/7 on the Colorado Secretary of State's Voter Registration web page here until October 26. After that, go to a voter service and polling center to update your voter registration information in person.

☆ Want to Verify Your Voter Registration? ☆

Need to Verify Your Voter Registration?

Want to be sure that your voter registration is active and your information is up-to-date? You can check quickly 24/7 on the Colorado Secretary of State's Voter Registration web page here. Look for the Manage My Registration section.

☆ 17 Year Olds Were Eligible To Vote In The Primaries
If 18 By November 3 ☆

New this year in Colorado: 17 year olds who will turn 18 by the November 3, 2020 General Election were eligible to vote in the Colorado Presidential Primary on March 3 and in the Colorado State Primary on June 30.

Now qualified Colorado teens who will turn 18 by the general election can take part in the primary elections too due to the new The Colorado Votes Act (HB 19-1278), which took effect in August, 2019.

Also, please note that in Colorado all teens 16 and older are encouraged to register to vote so that they're set up to vote as soon as eligible.

Teens 16 and 17 Years Old: Go to the Colorado Secretary of State's web site and click on "Register Online." Once registered, you will automatically receive a ballot for the next election for which you're eligible.

☆ Paid Election Judges Are Needed For The General Election
November 3 ☆

Arapahoe County Needs Paid Temporary Election Workers

Arapahoe County needs more than 400 temporary election judges! Because of COVID-19, some election judges are not available to work in the November 3 election.

Interviews are starting in Arapahoe County for the General Election November 3. Assignments for election judges are based on applicant interest and experience, county election needs, and political party affiliation balance.

Serving as an election judge is a paid, temporary position. Paid training is provided.

See the applicant requirements and the types of positions to be filled on the Arapahoe County Clerk's Elections webpage here.

Douglas County Needs Paid Temporary Election Workers

Douglas County needs election judges! Because of COVID-19, some election judges are not available to work in the November 3 election.

This is a paid, temporary position. Election judges are needed to assist and direct voters, verify voter identification, register voters, update voter information in the electronic database, and issue ballots at Voter Service and Polling Centers; monitor drop-off ballot boxes; visit Healthcare Facilities to deliver ballots and assist voters; transport ballot boxes and supplies; process and count mail ballots; and enter data and answer phones in the Elections Office.

Paid training will be provided.

See the applicant requirements on the Douglas County Clerk's Elections webpage here.

☆ Paid Student Election Judges Are Also Needed
For The General Election November 3 ☆

Your county may also need paid student election judges for the November 3 general election!

High school juniors and seniors (ages 16 and 17) may be needed to work at polling places as paid student election judges. Being a student election judge provides students with valuable experience in grassroots democracy and enables them to earn money for working election day.

See what qualifications are required of paid student election judge applicants, such as being a U.S. citizen, read additional information about serving as a student election judge, and download the Student Election Judge Application form on the Colorado Secretary of State's web site.

☆ November 3 General Election ☆

☆ Ballots Were Mailed To Registered Voters Starting October 9 ☆

You can check to see if your ballot was mailed by checking your voter registration on the Colorado Secretary of State's website here. Look for the Manage My Registration section. Or sign up for BallotTrax to track your ballot being mailed to you and after you return it. Look for the BallotTrax section.

☆ Vote Your Ballot ☆

On October 3, the League of Women Voters' Vote411.org website will go public with information on which candidates and ballot issues will be on the ballot. All candidates are invited to add information and upcoming events are listed. The information is customized by voter address. The information is on the Vote411 web site.

You'll find the Arapahoe and Douglas County Elections composite sample ballots on each county's ballot information page:
Arapahoe County: here and
Douglas County: here.

☆ Early Voting Will Start October 19 ☆

You can vote in person, if you wish or need assistance, at one of your county's voter service and polling centers.
To find your nearest county voter service and polling center, see the Arapahoe County Elections website polling centers info.
and the Douglas County Elections website polling centers info.

☆ Returning Your Ballot ☆

Don't forget to sign your ballot envelope (Do NOT sign your ballot). You can mail your ballot. After about 8 days before the election, drop off your ballot at any of your county's drop-off locations instead of mailing it.

Except for military and overseas voters, ballots must be returned by 7:00 p.m. on November 3 to be counted. If it's too late to mail in your ballot, find your county's nearest drop-off location:
To find your nearest county drop-off location, see the Arapahoe County Elections website (drop boxes open October 9) here
and the Douglas County Elections website (drop boxes open October 12) here.

☆ Ballots Must Be Received By November 3 at 7 pm
To Be Counted ☆

For the details, see the Arapahoe County Elections polling centers info.
and the Douglas County Elections polling centers info.

☆ Track Your Ballot ☆

You can check to see that your ballot was received by your County Elections office. From the Arapahoe County Elections Track My Ballot web page sign up here, You'll be directed to the Colorado BallotTrax signup page for Arapahoe County.

The Douglas County Elections Track Your Ballot page links to the Colorado BallotTrax system, allowing you to sign up and track your ballot here.

☆ Vote411.org ☆

Vote411.org Personalized Election Information

Visit the League of Women Voters non-partisan Vote411.org web site, which displays your personalized local voter information. You'll find the Vote411.org web site here.

News Learn More

Climate Change Resolution is Adopted
       at June National Convention

We congratulate League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties members Amy Sherwood and Lena Brown. Because of their efforts, their strong climate change resolution was adopted by the delegates at the League of Women Voters of the United States's 2020 National Convention.

The resolution calls for "an immediate, wide-scale mobilization by the United States to restore, protect and fund an ecologically sustainable environment and climate, based on an interrelated approach that is environmentally sound, science-based, just and equitable, and dedicated to appropriately addressing the speed and scale of the global climate change emergency."

The resolution was based on the League's position regarding climate change, but additionally took into account the need for speed and a response based on science. According to Brown and Sherwood, this gives League a working document when it takes a seat at the table.

The resolution also addresses environmental justice and equity, which the League of Women Voters promotes as part of its diversity, equity and inclusion policy, as issues to be included when considering solutions.

Their success comes after two years of work toward adoption of this resolution.

The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Program Committee is working to arrange a climate change presentation by Sherwood and Brown explaining this important resolution.

Vote411.org Wins Webby Award

VOTE411.org has won a Webby People's Voice Award for Best Government & Civil Innovation Website as part of the 24th annual awards.

"We work to make critical election information more accessible to millions of voters every step of the way to the ballot box," said Virginia Kase, CEO of the League of Women Voters Education Fund. "To win the Webby People's Voice Award means so much because it is recognition from the public who value our site. This honor helps bring more visibility to VOTE411, a resource every voter can trust for accurate and unbiased information this and every election cycle."

Since 2006, VOTE411 has provided registration deadlines and tools, absentee and early voting information, polling place locations, voting hours, candidate information, and more. Late last year, the League of Women Voters launched the newly redesigned VOTE411.org, with the mission to serve every voter in America with critical election information in 2020. There is voter information in English and Spanish.

"The coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on primary elections, but it's never been more important for voters to make sure their voices are heard at the ballot box," said Jeanette Senecal, Senior Director of Mission Impact for the League of Women Voters Education Fund. "In this critical election year, VOTE411 is expected to reach one in five people in the United States before November 3. This award is a testament to the time and dedication our League volunteers around the country put into making sure voters have accurate election information."

For more information, see the Webby award page.

And you can read the League of Women Voters' press release announcing Vote411.org's Webby award here.

New! Choose LWV of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties
For Your Amazon Smile Donations

Help support the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties' work in the community by designating us to receive your Amazon Smile donations.

There is no cost to you but Amazon donates every time you make a purchase from them.

Here's how:

Make it a habit to go to https://smile.amazon.com when you shop on Amazon. You can start shopping at amazon.com, but sometime before you click on 'Proceed to Checkout' you'll need to switch to smile.amazon.com.

You'll still see your order like before, but when you're in the 'smile.amazon.com' web page, your order will generate a contribution by Amazon.

Before you shop:

You need to sign up once in Amazon Smile before your first donation order and designate which charity you'll support, at https://smile.amazon.com.

Fill in the signup information. When asked to pick your charity, type in League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties in the charity name field and hit 'select'.

Now, when you're ordering from Amazon in smile.amazon.com, you'll see 'Supporting League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties' toward the top of the web page just below the Amazon product search box.

In the future, every time you order, as long as you are in smile.amazon.com before completing your checkout, your purchase confirmation will display 'You made a difference. Amazon will make a donation to the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties.'

Please note: If you don't purchase via the smile.amazon.com web page, no donation will be generated. You cannot fix a missing donation if you forget and don't check out on the smile.amazon.com web page.

Latina Women Equal Pay Day is October 29

Latina Women's Equal Pay Day is projected this year to be October 29. Read more about how far into 2020 Latina women must work to earn what men earned in 2019 on the Latina Women's Equal Pay website here.

2020 U.S. Census

Be sure to be counted in the 2020 U.S. Census count. Now is the time to submit your information, if you haven't yet.

Submit your 2020 U.S. Census information so that a census take won't have to visit your home. Respond in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. It's quick and easy.

It takes just a few minutes to enter your information on the 2020 U.S. Census website.

Tip: Learn how to avoid 2020 U.S. Census fraud and scams. See their fraud web page here.

You'll never be asked for your Social Security number, your bank account information, or your credit card numbers. The U.S. Census has nothing to do with a political party wanting information and never asks for money or donations.

You can verify the identity of someone who contacts you for census information by calling 844-330-2020 (7 days a week 5 am to midnight Mountain Time). 2020 U.S. Census takers at your door are required to show official identification, which includes an ID badge with a Department of Commerce watermark, their name and photo, and an expiration date. They will have an official bag and laptop or smartphone with the U.S. Census Bureau logo. Call your local police if someone who comes to your door seems suspicious.

There is no citizenship question in the 2020 Census. The 2020 U.S. Census is very secure: They will track numbers not names. Census workers sign a pledge to not give out information for 72 years!

Every person's count is important. It will allocate $675 billion in funding for everything from roads to healthcare to schools to the environment and more. It's divided up based on the number of people where they are located.

It's Not Too Late To Apply For A Temporary Part-Time Position With The 2020 U.S. Census. Apply To Earn Extra Income And Help Your Community

The U.S. Census Bureau has resumed 2020 Census field operations in select locations, so they're hiring temporary census workers in the counties where they're needed.

Note: The U.S. Census Bureau is taking measures to protect the health and safety of census workers.

To see applicant requirements, to see pay information, to see the locations needing more workers, or to apply, see the 2020 U.S. Census jobs web page here: website.

LWVCO Legislative Letter

Learn about the progress of bills in the 2020 Colorado General Assembly. The Colorado League of Women Voters Legislative Action Committee Legislative Letter is available on the State League web site here.

☆ Legislative Representative Directory ☆

Send A Message

Tip: This resource is available from the League of Women Voters: Send A Message is the directory of Colorado Directory of National & State Officials for 2019 - 2020. You can view it here.

Communicating Effectively With Your Representative

On the subject of action alerts, here are some helpful tips on how to contact your representatives effectively from the Jefferson County League's newsletter:

A quick telephone call to your representative is easiest. Most legislators count calls supporting or opposing bills and those from their own constituents count the most.

Email is another good way to communicate with your legislator. Here are some tips to communicate your position to your representative:
• State the bill number in the subject line
• Keep the email short and to the point
• If you have a personal story relevant to the issue, include it
• Use bullets when possible to make it more readable

Fifty Years!

The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties celebrated 50 years in 2019.

League of Women Voters 100th Anniversary!

Join the League of Women Voters as we celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2020. We proudly support democracy through voter registration, voter education, and encouraging civic engagement. More info.