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Voting in your state

Voting in Colorado, 2026

Every date and deadline for the November 3 general election, from registering to the final certificate, and who signs off on the result.

Right nowEarly voting is open in Colorado through Tuesday, November 3.Election Day in 7 days

Every date, in order

  1. Mon, Oct 19 · passed
    Early voting begins
  2. Mon, Oct 26 · passed
    Last day for mail ballot applications
    Every active voter is mailed a ballot, and voters who need it sent to a different address must update it by Monday October 26, 2026.1
  3. Tue, Nov 3 · 7 days
    Election Day; Early voting ends; Registration deadline; Mail ballots must arrive
    In-person voting centers open Monday October 19, 2026 and stay open through Election Day, with hours that vary by county. Voters can register and vote in person at a voter service and polling center through Election Day, and online registration closes Monday October 26, 2026. Mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.1
  4. Wed, Nov 25 · 29 days
    County/Local canvass; County/Local certification
    Counties canvass no later than the 22nd day after the election, November 25.2
  5. Mon, Nov 30 · 34 days
    State canvass; State certification
    The statewide canvass is complete no later than the 27th day after the election, November 30.2
  6. After certification
    Deadline to contest the result
    A contest for a legislative seat must be noticed with the Secretary of State within 10 days after the official abstract of votes is complete.3

Questions people ask about voting in Colorado

Q. When does early voting end in Colorado?

In-person voting centers open Monday October 19, 2026 and stay open through Election Day, with hours that vary by county.

Q. When is the deadline to register to vote in Colorado?

Voters can register and vote in person at a voter service and polling center through Election Day, and online registration closes Monday October 26, 2026.

Q. What is the last day to request a mail ballot in Colorado?

Every active voter is mailed a ballot, and voters who need it sent to a different address must update it by Monday October 26, 2026.

Q. When does my mail ballot have to arrive in Colorado?

Mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Q. Who certifies the election in Colorado, and by when?

The county canvass board, the county clerk and recorder with members nominated in equal numbers by the major parties, certifies the countywide total and reports it to the Secretary of State. Counties must finish the canvass no later than the 22nd day after the election, November 25, 2026, and immediately transmit results to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State receives the county results, prepares the statewide canvass and certifies it. The Secretary of State must total the returns and order any recounts no later than the 27th day after the election, November 30, 2026.

Q. What happens after the count in Colorado, and when is there a recount?

Under the 2026 Election Calendar the canvass must be completed and the official abstract of votes cast submitted no later than the 22nd day after the election. A statutory recount must be completed by December 4, 2026, the 31st day after the election (C.R.S. 1-10.5-102(2)), and a recount requested by an interested party at its own expense by December 8, 2026, the 35th day (C.R.S. 1-10.5-106(2)).

Q. How long is there to contest an election in Colorado?

A contest for a legislative seat must be noticed with the Secretary of State within 10 days after the official abstract of votes is complete.

Explore this issue

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Sources

  1. Vote.org, Colorado Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/colorado/
  2. NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
  3. NCSL, Contested Election Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/contested-election-deadlines
  4. NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
  5. Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
  6. NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines

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