Coloradans who already turned in their ballots with votes for presidential candidates who’ve since dropped out can’t redo their ballots this year — but lawmakers are discussing whether that can be an option in future presidential primaries.
Elections officials have been encouraging voters to turn in their Super Tuesday mail ballots early so results can be available earlier in the state’s first presidential primary in 20 years, but that means some voters selected candidates who are no longer in the race, such as Pete Buttigieg.
Secretary of State Jena Griswold noted Sunday on social media that Colorado voters who filled out ballots but have not turned them in can still obtain new ballots or cross out their previous selection and pick a new candidate by 7 p.m. Tuesday.
If you have marked a ballot but have not returned it, you can change your selection by crossing out your first pick and then marking the oval next to your preferred candidate. Or, you can get a replacement ballot in-person at a VSPC. Visit https://t.co/OQ2SXOeniQ.
— Jena Griswold (@JenaGriswold) March 2, 2020
But what if there was another option?
House Majority Leader Alec Garnett told reporters Monday morning that there should be a discussion about a possible statutory change to allow voters in the future to make their voices heard through Election Day.
“Every voter should have the opportunity, even if their vote was cast for the election, and their candidate dropped out, to go in to the county clerk and have the opportunity to pull a provisional ballot and vote for who remains in the race,” Garnett said.
“These are some issues that I don’t think the Legislature discussed as that bill was making its way through the process, so it’s something I think we should be talking with both sides of the aisle on,” Garnett said.
Gotten a # of 📞s, so want to clarify:
👉If you still have your ballot, you can change a vote by following the #voter instructions on how to correct a mistake. (Do not sign your ballot, only your envelope)
If you've already voted, we cannot reissue a replacement ballot. pic.twitter.com/SfMcehGFaa
— Boulder County Clerk / Clerk Molly Fitzpatrick (@BoCoClerk) March 2, 2020
Only three other states hold all mail-ballot statewide elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, making the issue of voting early for a candidate that may drop out early fairly unique.
Garnett said he hasn’t spoken to lawmakers about specific solutions, but after the results came in from South Carolina’s caucus and former mayor Buttigieg’s announcement Sunday, he has heard from constituents asking what they can do.
“I think it was a little frustrating on my end to say, ‘There’s nothing you can do,’” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg said he has also heard from people who are frustrated by being unable to change their votes, and he thinks this is an issue lawmakers can tackle this year for future elections, though he doesn’t yet know what the exact solution should be.
“It could be logistically difficult, but I think it’s worth looking into,” Fenberg said.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the primary election for presidential candidates is how the state parties select delegates and some of the candidates who dropped out, such as Buttigieg could still receive delegates because they had a significant amount of support, he added.