1. Election Judge Training for Mail Ballot Elections
May 8, 2018 Regular Election
Presented by
Micki L. Mills, Paralegal

2. APPOINTMENT OF ELECTION JUDGES
Designated Election Official (“DEO”) is responsible for conduct of election and appoints Election Judges.
Appoint Election Judges to:
- Check voter eligibility
- Issue new or replacement ballots
- Receive the voted ballots
- Handle any “walk-in” voting
- Count the ballots
- Certify the unofficial election results

3. WHO MAY VOTE – ELIGIBLE ELECTORS
An eligible elector for a special district election is a person who is registered to vote in the State of Colorado and is either:
A resident within the special district; or
The owner of taxable real or personal property situated within the special district boundaries. A natural person who is obligated to pay taxes under a contract to purchase taxable property situated within the boundaries of the special district is considered an owner. The owner must be a natural person, not a corporation, trust, partnership, etc.; or
The spouse or civil union partner of the owner of taxable real or personal property situated within the special district boundaries.

4. NO ELECTIONEERING
Electioneering/campaigning is prohibited within 100 feet of any building in which the “walk-in” voting is located.
Most campaigning is unintentional and violators only need to be warned.

5. BEFORE SERVING AS ELECTION JUDGE
Each Election Judge must execute an Oath of Election Judge (Form 1)
Election Judges begin serving well before Election Day in a mail ballot election.
Make sure Oath is taken before serving.

7. DETERMINING ELIGIBLE ELECTORS
Must confirm the names of eligible electors before mailing ballots.
Only mail to “active” electors. Do not mail to “inactive” electors.
Ballots mailed between April 16th and April 23rd.
Initial list of eligible electors may already be created.

8. POLL BOOK
After determining list of eligible electors, create Poll Book (Form 2).
Poll Book should include columns for:
- Name and address of eligible elector
- Ballot stub number issue to such eligible elector
- Date ballot delivered or mailed to eligible elector
- Date ballot returned
- Comments (ballot returned as undeliverable
or if replacement ballot issued)

10. BALLOT ISSUANCE AND MAILING
Between April 16th and April 23rd ballot packets mailed to each eligible elector.
Mail Ballot Packet includes:
- Ballot issued to specific elector (Form 3)
- Secrecy sleeve, with voting instructions (Form 4)
- Return envelope, with voter affidavit (Form 5)
No postage is affixed to return envelope.

14. ISSUING NEW OR REPLACEMENT BALLOTS
Beginning April 16th, ballots must be made available at “walk-in” voting location for:
Electors whose eligibility could not be determined;
Electors who never received their original ballot and need a replacement;
Electors who spoiled their original ballot and need a replacement; or
Electors who were classified as an “inactive” voter.
“Walk-in” location must be open during normal business hours and from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

15. REQUEST FOR MAIL BALLOT
To obtain new or replacement ballot, elector must complete Request for Mail Ballot form (Form 6)
If new ballot, confirm ballot never issued.
If new ballot, confirm elector’s eligibility.
Cannot issue ballot, if cannot confirm elector’s eligibility.
If replacement ballot, confirm voted ballot was not received.
If original ballot not received, issue replacement ballot.

17. RETURN AND VERIFICATION OF BALLOTS
Voted ballots must be returned to location designated in Mail Ballot Plan.
To be counted, voted ballot must be in return envelope, with voter affidavit executed, and received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Date stamp envelope when received.
Note in Poll Book date ballot received, or if returned as undeliverable.
If replacement ballot issued, first ballot received is accepted, any other ballot returned is “rejected”.

18. RETURN AND VERIFICATION OF BALLOTS, cont.
If ballot delivered to wrong DEO, Election Judge or County Clerk, if accepted recipient must arrange for delivery to correct DEO or Election Judge by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
If error discovered too late, mail to correct DEO. Ballot is then rejected.
Vote can be challenged.
All rejected ballots and envelopes retained in secure location, separate from other ballots.
Undeliverable ballots are not r ed. Keep all separate from other ballots.

19. RETURN AND VERIFICATION OF BALLOTS, cont.
A Mail Ballot Log (Form 7) must be maintained daily. Keep in secure location.
Reflect number of return ballots and undeliverable ballots received each day.
Kept unopened return envelopes in secure location until ready to count.

21. WATCHERS
Each Candidate or Issue Committee in favor of or against a ballot issue or ballot question can appoint one watcher.
Watcher’s name must be certified to DEO on Certificate of Appointment of Watcher form (Form 8).
DEO advises Election Judges and designates one Judge for watcher to interact with.
When watcher appears at walk-in voting location, administer Oath of Watcher (Form 8).
Alternate watcher may be designated by original watcher on Designation of Alternate Watcher form (Form 9).

22. WATCHER, cont. Each watcher has the right to:
Remain inside the walk-in voting location on Election Day from at least fifteen (15) minutes prior to the opening of the polls until after the completion of the count of the votes cast at the election and the certification of the election results by the Election Judges.
Maintain a list of persons voted.
Witness each step in the conduct of the election.
Challenge an elector’s right to vote.

23. WATCHER, cont. Watchers cannot:
Be a current candidate for director nor any immediate family member, to the second degree, of such candidate.
Interrupt or disrupt the processing, verification, or counting of any ballots or any other stage of the election.
Write down any ballot numbers or any other identifying information about the electors.
Handle the Poll Books, affidavits, ballots, mail ballot envelopes, absentee or UOCAVA ballot envelopes, voting or counting machines or machine components.
Interfere with the normal election procedures or with the orderly process and conduct of the election, which would include interfering with any Election Judge in the discharge of his/her duties.
Interact with election officials or Election Judges except for the individual identified by the DEO.
Have cell phones, cameras, recording devices, laptops or tablets, or other electronic data capture device in the walk-in voting location.
Be within six feet (6’) of the voting area, which includes the voting booths or voting machines and ballot boxes.

26. VERTIFICATION AND COUNTING BALLOTS
Only Election Judges and appointed watchers can be present during the counting of the ballots.
Counting may begin 15 days before Election.
Must maintain secrecy of count until after 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Confirm voter affidavit on return envelope signed.
Not signed, ballot rejected.
Verify ballot number issued to elector matches the number shown in the Poll Book.
More than one ballot in return envelope.
Elector deceased.

27. COUNTING, cont. Retain all opened envelopes and ballot stubs.
Before counting, confirm number of mail ballot envelopes and ballots cast match those reflected as received in the Mail Ballot Log and Poll Book.
Excess Ballots.

28. COUNTING, cont. Tally Sheet (Form 10) Defective Ballot
Write-in Candidates
Judges Unofficial Abstract of Votes (Form 11)
Judges Certificate of Election Returns and Statement of Ballots (Form 12)

32. UOCAVA BALLOTS UOCAVA return envelope (Form 13).
Electronic UOCAVA ballot must be transmitted with UOCAVA Affidavit and Cover Sheet (Form 14).
Duplicating electronic UOCAVA ballot.
UOCAVA Elector Log (Form 15).
Counted with mail ballots.

36. ELECTION NIGHT
After completion of count of all ballots cast, seal all voted ballots in container, with one set of the Tally Sheets.
Designated Election Judge shall return all election supplies and materials to DEO and receive Receipt for Return of Election Supplies (Form 16).
Make sure Election Judges have signed all necessary forms before leaving the walk-in location.

38. Thank you and Good luck!

39. Micki L. Mills