Checking your mail ballot status and how to cure any signature issues

How to check your mail ballot status

If you are already signed up for BallotTrax and receive the messages about when Boulder County Elections mails, receives, and counts your mail ballot, you are all set. If not, read on to find out how you can check your mail ballot status, why it is important even after Election Day, and how you can get notifications for future elections.

1. Visit the BallotTrax website
2. Complete the form with your personal information and click Register/Log In
3. You should be able see the status of your ballot.
   1. If your ballot is in Counted status, congratulations! You’re all set.
   2. If your ballot is in Ballot Rejected status, you have a signature issue that needs to be resolved. Election judges could not verify the signature on your mail ballot envelope against the signature(s) we have on file OR you forgot to sign your envelope. You need to “cure” your ballot. This is important as we can still count your ballot if you respond to the letter by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Learn more about how ballot processing continues after Election Day at: Ballot Processing Election Night and Beyond.

Even if it is after the legal deadline, it is important to cure your ballot envelope issue. See below for why.

How to “cure” your ballot signature issue:

In addition to learning your rejected mail ballot status using BallotTrax, we also send you an email (if we have one on file for you in your voter registration record) and a letter in the mail. If you wait for the letter, it will have your voter ID included. Please complete these steps by the deadline of Weds, Nov 13, 2024 for your ballot to be counted.

Step 1: Get your voter ID:

1. 1. Go to the Find my Voter Registration page on the Secretary of State’s website.
   2. Enter your personal information and log in
   3. Find your Voter ID under Registration

Step 2: Begin the cure process:

Recommended Cure Method: Using a mobile device or computer, use the Colorado Secretary of State’s Txt2Cure application to confirm the ballot submitted was your ballot. As part of the process, you will need to take or upload a photo of an acceptable form of ID and sign an affidavit. Thus, a device with a with a touch screen is recommended.

Alternative Cure methods (Nov. 14: updated for post-deadline)

1. In person: You may also visit our Boulder County Clerk & Recorder office in person at 1750 33rd St. on Tuesday or Wednesday, Nov. 12 and 13, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring ID. Please note we are closed on Fridays.
2. By email: Follow the directions in the letter. Must included scanned/photos of the signed affidavit and ID.
3. By mail: Follow the directions in the letter and include the signed affidavit and photo copy of ID.

Why is signature verification important and why your signature may have been rejected:

Signature verification is an important part of the Colorado voting model. It is how identity is verified when voting by mail. The longer you live here and the more frequently you vote, the more versions of your signature we have on record for comparison. If you are a first-time voter, we may only have one or two signatures on file for you – and they may be of poor quality if it was captured on a signature pad. That means you are more likely to have your ballot put into rejected status during signature verification.

The good news is that if we cannot verify your signature, you have until 8 days after the election to “cure” your signature issue and still have your ballot counted!

Why is it important to “Cure” my ballot envelope signature issue:

If you made the effort to vote, it is important to also make sure your ballot is counted. This is true even after Election Day and even if the contests you most care about have won or lost. And, because some contests may still be close and every vote counts!

Additionally, we must hear from you even if you miss the 8-day deadline. This is because every signature that is not cured is turned over to the District Attorney for investigation into voter fraud. So, if you do not respond to our Boulder County Elections letter, you will still eventually need to respond to the District Attorney’s letter.

Getting notifications about your mail ballot for future elections:

• Long-term, we recommend you update your voter registration record with an email address (open registration, edit, find location to add an email address). This is because email addresses are private only to election officials and not part of the public voter file. Additionally, we will auto enroll you before the next election into BallotTrax and that email is also used to communicate important election deadlines and information. Note that during the immediate weeks after an election, you can update your record online, but changes will not be entered by staff until after the election is certified (so likely not until December).
• Alternatively, you can also sign up for BallotTrax directly when you check your mail ballot status this election. Just follow the directions in the platform.

How can I add more signatures to my voter registration record:

You can come to our office during business hours (Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and fill in a voter registration form adding another signature to your file. You can also mail in or email in a form. See our Voter Registration page for the form and directions.