October 19, 2022 – The El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Office is encouraging citizens to help ensure the voter rolls are up to date. With ballots now in the mail, they may receive a ballot addressed to someone no longer at their address or a ballot for someone who is deceased. On the back of the ballot packet, they should simply check off the appropriate box, write “return to sender” on the front and return through the U.S. Postal Service. Do not place in a ballot drop-off box.

“Citizens play an important role in helping our office maintain accurate and current voter rolls by returning the ballot via the USPS,” said Clerk Chuck Broerman. “We have several resources that provide voter data on a daily basis and our rolls are near pristine. However, when necessary, we rely on citizens to get involved in the democratic election process and return those ballot packets as undeliverable.”

Some of the resources that ensure only eligible voters are in the voter registration database include the National Change of Address (NCOA), Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to check other states, Department of Homeland Security, Colorado Department of Corrections, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Social Security Administration.

Citizens also can help maintain voter rolls by being proactive. They can notify the Clerk’s office when a family member dies. If they move and change addresses, they can update their record online at www.GoVoteColorado.gov. This ensures the voter receives their ballot in a timely manner and eliminates the Clerk’s expense of having to send a new ballot to the correct address.

It is important that ballots are “returned to sender” through the USPS. When the Clerk’s Office receives undeliverable mail from the USPS the voter is made inactive and a confirmation card is mailed out, giving the voter the opportunity to cancel their registration or update their address. Because they are now inactive, they will no longer receive ballots until they have updated their registration. By law, an inactive voter record can be cancelled after the voter has missed two federal elections.

For complete information on the 2022 General Election visit www.epcvotes.com.