Watch CBS News

Plenty Of Confusion Among Colorado Voters As Primary Election Nears

By Shaun Boyd

DENVER (CBS4) - With so much attention focused on the presidential election in November, there's some confusion around Colorado's primary election in June.

Since ballots went out at the beginning of the month, Denver Elections Division has fielded more than 1,200 calls.

"Everything from why you don't see the presidential candidates on the June ballot to you didn't send us a secrecy sleeve this year," said Alton Dillard with the Denver Elections Division.

PRIMARY CONFUSION 6PKG.tran6sfer
(credit: CBS)

Anticipating questions, he said they included an instruction sheet with every ballot -- that also serves as a secrecy sleeve -- and a notice explaining that Colorado doesn't vote on presidential candidates in a primary. There are caucuses for that.

The Secretary of State's Office is also hearing from voters.

"Folks are very interested in this presidential year. They're interested in being able to make their choice," said Ben Schler with the Secretary of State's Elections Division.

Schler said many voters are wondering why they didn't get a ballot. Most Coloradans -- more than a third -- won't receive a ballot because unaffiliated voters can't participate in a primary.

PRIMARY CONFUSION 6PKG.7transfer
CBS4's Shaun Boyd interviews Ben Schler with the Secretary of State's Elections Division (credit: CBS)

"You can affiliate all the way up until Election Day in order to vote for either Republicans or Democrats, but you don't have the ability to vote as an unaffiliated voter and you're not going to receive a ballot in the mail," he said.

Democratic ballots will show only the Democrats running and Republican ballots have only the Republicans running. You can only vote in your party's primary. Denver ballots are well-marked.

"In addition to having the name of the party at the top of the ballot, we also have the party's insignia at the bottom," Dillard said.

John Keyser
(credit: CBS)

One candidate took the unusual move this year of declaring he would only serve two terms if elected. The small print under Republican Senate candidate John Keyser's name is also prompting calls.

"If you're not paying attention from the beginning of the year, you might not completely understand the process that we go through," Schler said.

So far, about 16 percent of mail ballots in both parties statewide have been returned in the primary. Election Day is June 28.

Shaun Boyd is CBS4's political specialist. She's a veteran reporter with more than 25 years of experience. Follow her on Twitter @cbs4shaun.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.