Voting basics: Voting in Colorado while overseas or serving in the military

Chaffee County is color-coding its ballot envelopes for the upcoming November 2023 election. County Clerk Lori Mitchell said the colors should simplify mail-in voting. (Mike Sweeney for Colorado Newsline)

Anyone who is over 18 years old, is a U.S. citizen, and is a legal resident of Colorado can register and vote in Colorado, including voters who are serving in the military or living overseas.

This story is part of a series on voting basics in Colorado.

1. Felony convictions and voting
2. Register to vote
3. How to vote
4. Signature verification
5. Military and overseas voters

Members of the military who consider Colorado to be their home but aren’t in the state due to active duty or service can still vote. Additionally, any citizen who lives overseas but had their last legal residence in the U.S. in Colorado can vote.

Dependents and spouses of active military personnel are also eligible to vote in Colorado.

Those who need to receive a ballot overseas need to update their voter registration through the Colorado secretary of state’s office to reflect their eligibility under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens and Absentee Voting Act .

Voters covered under the act can select to receive their ballot by mail, fax or email. Ballots that are emailed need to be printed, signed and scanned for return to the clerk’s office in the voter’s home county.

Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat is president and CEO of the U.S. Vote Foundation, formerly known as the Overseas Vote Foundation . She said the requirements for overseas voting are much more uniform across states because it’s regulated at the federal level, but deadlines and requirements for returning a ballot still vary by state.

“I think this is the best voting program we have in the United States, and it’s a shame that less than 8% of overseas voters use it, even in the best of times,” Dzieduszycka-Suinat said. “As an overseas voter, your right to vote goes with you everywhere.”

Sept. 21 is the last day a county clerk’s office can send a ballot to a military or overseas voter. County clerks must receive ballots from military and overseas voters by 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 — unless the ballot is returned electronically, then they must be sent to the clerk’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5.

Colorado will mail ballots to all active and eligible voters starting on Oct. 11, so any voter in Colorado can fill out their mail ballot and vote before Election Day.

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