State of Colorado June 26, 2018 Primary Election

Q1. What is the difference between a Primary and a General Election?
A1.  The State of Colorado holds regularly scheduled state elections every two years; a state Primary Election in June and a General Election in November.  The nominated candidates from each party's Primary ballot will be placed on the November General Election ballot.  The winner of the November General Election will hold office.

Q2.  Who can vote in a Primary Election?
A2. On the Presidential or June Primary Election Day:

• Voters affiliated with a minor party: may cast a ballot for candidates of the party they are affiliated with.
• Voters affiliated with a minor party: if there is a minor party contest those affiliated with that minor party may cast a ballot for those candidates.
• Unaffiliated voters: An unaffiliated voter may cast a ballot for any one political party.  If an unaffiliated voter returns a ballot with more than one major political party, the ballot will be rejected and none of the votes will be counted.

Q3. Are parties required to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in their Primary Election?
A3. Major parties are required to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in a Primary.  Minor parties, on the other hand, may refuse to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in their Primary.

Q4. I am an unaffiliated voter.  Do I have to choose in advance which party's Primary ballot to vote?
A4. No, but you can if you want to.  You have several options:

1. You may choose which party's ballot you want to get in the mail for the next Primary Election by selecting a party preference at govotecolorado.com or on any paper voter registration form.
2. If you would rather receive a packet containing the ballots of all the participating major parties, you can take no action or select this option when first registering to vote.
3. You can also appear in person at any Voter Service and Polling Center in Gunnison County and choose the party's ballot you want to vote.

Q5. Does selecting a ballot preference as an unaffiliated voter mean that I am joining that party?
A5. No. An unaffiliated voter who selects a ballot preference in advance of a Primary Election will remain unaffiliated. 

Q6. I am unaffiliated and selected a preference to receive a minor party ballot.  Why didn't I receive that party's ballot?
A6. This could happen for two reasons:

1. The minor party you selected is not conducting a Primary Election, or
2. The minor party you selected is not allowing unaffiliated voters to participate in their election.

In either of these situations, you should receive a ballot packet containing the ballots of all major political parties.  You may vote and return one of these ballots, or you may contact the County Clerks Election Division or visit a Voter Service and Polling Center to request a different minor party's ballot.

Q7.  I selected a ballot preference last primary election and received that party's ballot.  Why didn't I receive that party's ballot?
A7. A ballot preference selection is good for only one election. So, if you select a ballot preference before the June 2018 Primary Election, that preference will be removed before the next Primary Election in 2020. If you still prefer to receive one party's Primary ballot, you may select your preference again at any time by visiting www.govotecolorado.com or by making the selection on any paper registration form.

Q8. Does voting in a party's Primary as an unaffiliated voter mean that I am joining that party?
A8. No. An unaffiliated voter who votes in a party's primary will remain unaffiliated. However, the Primary that you vote in will be a public record (but not how you voted). 

Q9. I am an unaffiliated voter.  Why did I get two ballots sent to me during the Primary?
A9. Most unaffiliated voters will receive the ballots of both major political parties during a Primary Election.  This allows an 
unaffiliated voter to choose which party's primary they will vote in.  Unaffiliated voters may only return one party's ballot.
Returning two voted ballots will result in neither ballot counting.

Q10. How do I vote in a minor party's Primary Election if I am unaffiliated?
A10. You have two options:

1. You may select a ballot preference for the minor party's election that you would like to vote in at www.govotecolorado.com or on any paper voter registration form, or
2. You may contact the County Clerk's office or visit any Voter Service and Polling Center in Gunnison County and request that party's ballot.

Keep in mind that the minor party you select may not hold a Primary Election or may not allow unaffiliated voters to participate in their election.

​For assistance please contact:

​Gunnison County Elections Division
​970-641-7927
​ksimillion@gunnisoncounty.org
​dfolowell@gunnisoncounty.org