League of Women Voters®
of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties
Making Democracy Work
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. League membership is open to women and men.
Program Committee Meeting
The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Program Committee will meet for their monthly planning session on Friday afternoon, August 14. This will be a remote meeting via Zoom. Details.
Management Team Meeting
The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Management Team will meet on Monday evening, August 24. This meeting will be online using Zoom. Info.
Fall Kickoff Party
League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties members, their families, their friends, and prospective members are invited to join us for our annual Fall Kickoff Party on Monday evening, September 21. This will be an online event using Zoom.
The kickoff party is part of our annual tradition of welcoming the new League year, celebrating our past efforts, and looking ahead to our upcoming activities. It's also the time to relax, have some fun, and meet other League members. This is the kickoff for the remainder of a very busy year for our League, so join us for an interesting kickoff. More.
National Voter Registration Day Tuesday, September 22, 2020
The League of Women Voters is celebrating National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, September 22 because registering and voting is the best way for each of us to decide what happens in our country. The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties registers voters at many events during each year. Join LWV and help us with voter registration. And, even if you can't help, you can help publicize in social media, encourage people you know to get registered or update their address, and spread the word.
Welcome to the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Election Central 2020 pages with the information you need about the November 3 General Election and registering to vote. You'll also find links to elections information on the Colorado Secretary of State and Arapahoe County and Douglas County web sites below.
☆ You Can Register To Vote Through Election Day ☆
It takes just a few minutes to register to vote online. You can register online 24/7 on the Colorado Secretary of State web site.
☆ Is Your Voting Address Up To Date? ☆
You can easily update your voter registration information online 24/7 on the Colorado Secretary of State web site.
☆ 17 Year Olds Were Eligible To Vote In The Primaries
If 18 By November 3 ☆
New this year in Colorado: 17 year olds who will turn 18 by the November 3, 2020 General Election were eligible to vote in the Colorado Presidential Primary on March 3 and in the Colorado State Primary on June 30.
Now qualified Colorado teens who will turn 18 by the general election can take part in the primary elections too due to the new The Colorado Votes Act (HB 19-1278), which took effect in August, 2019.
Also, please note that in Colorado all teens 16 and older are encouraged to register to vote so that they're set up to vote as soon as eligible.
Teens 16 and 17 Years Old: Go to the Colorado Secretary of State's web site and click on "Register Online." Once registered, you will automatically receive a ballot for the next election for which you're eligible.
☆ Paid Election Judges May Be Needed For The Fall Election ☆
The Colorado Secretary of State needs paid election judges for the general election November 3
Because of COVID-19, some election judges will not be available to work in this fall's election and many counties may need more judges.
Your help is needed. If you're interested in serving as a paid election judge, submit the Election Judge Interest form on the Colorado Secretary of State's web site.
If you meet the qualifications and if there are positions open for election judges in your county for the upcoming election, your County Clerk will contact you.
Serving as an election judge is a paid, temporary position. Please note that wages earned while serving as an election judge could impact your eligibility for unemployment benefits if those wages exceed 25% of your current benefit. As each individual's circumstances are different and wages for election judges are determined by counties, it is important you understand how any income earned as an election judge could impact your eligibility for unemployment benefits before beginning employment.
To limit the spread of COVID-19 and prioritize the safety of Coloradans, election judges will be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) while performing their duties.
See what qualifications are required of paid election judge applicants, such as being a U.S. citizen and being registered to vote, find more information about serving as an election judge, and fill out the application form on the Colorado Secretary of State's web site here.
☆ Paid Student Election Judges May Also Needed
For The Fall Election ☆
The Colorado Secretary of State may also need paid student election judges for the November 3 general election!
High school juniors and seniors (ages 16 and 17) may be needed to work at polling places as paid student election judges. Being a student election judge provides students with valuable experience in grassroots democracy and enables them to earn money for working election day.
See what qualifications are required of paid student election judge applicants, such as being a U.S. citizen, read additional information about serving as a student election judge, and download the Student Election Judge Application form on the Colorado Secretary of State's web site.
☆ November 3 General Election ☆
☆ Ballots Are Mailed Starting October 16 ☆
☆ Early Voting Starts October 19 ☆
☆ Returning Your Ballot ☆
Don't forget to sign your ballot. You can mail or drop off your ballot at any of your county's 24-hour drop boxes.
Except for military and overseas voters, ballots must be returned by 7:00 p.m. on November 3 to be counted. If it's too late to mail in your ballot, find your county's nearest drop-off location:
Find My Nearest Arapahoe County Elections Drop-Off Locations here.
The Douglas County Elections Drop-Off Locations are here.
☆ Ballots Must Be Received By November 3 at 7 pm
To Be Counted ☆
Climate Change Resolution is Adopted
at June National Convention
We congratulate League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties members Amy Sherwood and Lena Brown. Because of their efforts, their strong climate change resolution was adopted by the delegates at the League of Women Voters of the United States's 2020 National Convention.
The resolution calls for "an immediate, wide-scale mobilization by the United States to restore, protect and fund an ecologically sustainable environment and climate, based on an interrelated approach that is environmentally sound, science-based, just and equitable, and dedicated to appropriately addressing the speed and scale of the global climate change emergency."
The resolution was based on the League's position regarding climate change, but additionally took into account the need for speed and a response based on science. According to Brown and Sherwood, this gives League a working document when it takes a seat at the table.
The resolution also addresses environmental justice and equity, which the League of Women Voters promotes as part of its diversity, equity and inclusion policy, as issues to be included when considering solutions.
Their success comes after two years of work toward adoption of this resolution.
The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties Program Committee is working to arrange a climate change presentation by Sherwood and Brown explaining this important resolution.
Vote411.org Wins Webby Award
VOTE411.org has won a Webby People's Voice Award for Best Government & Civil Innovation Website as part of the 24th annual awards.
"We work to make critical election information more accessible to millions of voters every step of the way to the ballot box," said Virginia Kase, CEO of the League of Women Voters Education Fund. "To win the Webby People's Voice Award means so much because it is recognition from the public who value our site. This honor helps bring more visibility to VOTE411, a resource every voter can trust for accurate and unbiased information this and every election cycle."
Since 2006, VOTE411 has provided registration deadlines and tools, absentee and early voting information, polling place locations, voting hours, candidate information, and more. Late last year, the League of Women Voters launched the newly redesigned VOTE411.org, with the mission to serve every voter in America with critical election information in 2020. There is voter information in English and Spanish.
"The coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on primary elections, but it's never been more important for voters to make sure their voices are heard at the ballot box," said Jeanette Senecal, Senior Director of Mission Impact for the League of Women Voters Education Fund. "In this critical election year, VOTE411 is expected to reach one in five people in the United States before November 3. This award is a testament to the time and dedication our League volunteers around the country put into making sure voters have accurate election information."
For more information, see the Webby award page.
And you can read the League of Women Voters' press release announcing Vote411.org's Webby award here.
New! Choose LWV of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties
For Your Amazon Smile Donations
Help support the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties' work in the community by designating us to receive your Amazon Smile donations.
There is no cost to you but Amazon donates every time you make a purchase from them.
Here's how:
Make it a habit to go to https://smile.amazon.com when you shop on Amazon. You can start shopping at amazon.com, but sometime before you click on 'Proceed to Checkout' you'll need to switch to smile.amazon.com.
You'll still see your order like before, but when you're in the 'smile.amazon.com' web page, your order will generate a contribution by Amazon.
Before you shop:
You need to sign up once in Amazon Smile before your first donation order and designate which charity you'll support, at https://smile.amazon.com.
Fill in the signup information. When asked to pick your charity, type in League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties in the charity name field and hit 'select'.
Now, when you're ordering from Amazon in smile.amazon.com, you'll see 'Supporting League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties' toward the top of the web page just below the Amazon product search box.
In the future, every time you order, as long as you are in smile.amazon.com before completing your checkout, your purchase confirmation will display 'You made a difference. Amazon will make a donation to the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties.'
Please note: If you don't purchase via the smile.amazon.com web page, no donation will be generated. You cannot fix a missing donation if you forget and don't check out on the smile.amazon.com web page.
2020 U.S. Census
Be sure to be counted in the 2020 U.S. Census count. Now is the time to submit your information, if you haven't yet.
Submit your 2020 U.S. Census information so that a census take won't have to visit your home. Respond in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. It's quick and easy.
It takes just a few minutes to enter your information on the 2020 U.S. Census website.
Tip: Learn how to avoid 2020 U.S. Census fraud and scams. See their fraud web page here.
You'll never be asked for your Social Security number, your bank account information, or your credit card numbers. The U.S. Census has nothing to do with a political party wanting information and never asks for money or donations.
You can verify the identity of someone who contacts you for census information by calling 844-330-2020 (7 days a week 5 am to midnight Mountain Time). 2020 U.S. Census takers at your door are required to show official identification, which includes an ID badge with a Department of Commerce watermark, their name and photo, and an expiration date. They will have an official bag and laptop or smartphone with the U.S. Census Bureau logo. Call your local police if someone who comes to your door seems suspicious.
There is no citizenship question in the 2020 Census. The 2020 U.S. Census is very secure: They will track numbers not names. Census workers sign a pledge to not give out information for 72 years!
Every person's count is important. It will allocate $675 billion in funding for everything from roads to healthcare to schools to the environment and more. It's divided up based on the number of people where they are located.
It's Not Too Late To Apply For A Temporary Part-Time Position With The 2020 U.S. Census. Apply To Earn Extra Income And Help Your Community
The U.S. Census Bureau has resumed 2020 Census field operations in select locations, so they're hiring temporary census workers in the counties where they're needed.
Note: The U.S. Census Bureau is taking measures to protect the health and safety of census workers.
To see applicant requirements, to see pay information, to see the locations needing more workers, or to apply, see the 2020 U.S. Census jobs web page here: website
LWVCO Legislative Letter
Learn about the progress of bills in the 2020 Colorado General Assembly. The Colorado League of Women Voters Legislative Action Committee Legislative Letter is available on the State League web site here.
☆ Legislative Representative Directory ☆
Send A Message
Tip: This resource is available from the League of Women Voters: Send A Message is the directory of Colorado Directory of National & State Officials for 2019 - 2020. You can view it here.
Communicating Effectively With Your Representative
On the subject of action alerts, here are some helpful tips on how to contact your representatives effectively from the Jefferson County League's newsletter:
A quick telephone call to your representative is easiest. Most legislators count calls supporting or opposing bills and those from their own constituents count the most.
Email is another good way to communicate with your legislator. Here are some tips to communicate your position to your representative:
• State the bill number in the subject line
• Keep the email short and to the point
• If you have a personal story relevant to the issue, include it
• Use bullets when possible to make it more readable
Fifty Years!
The League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties celebrated 50 years in 2019.
League of Women Voters 100th Anniversary!
Join the League of Women Voters as we celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2020. We proudly support democracy through voter registration, voter education, and encouraging civic engagement. More info.
Check out our Vote411 web page for personalized local voter information
Support the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties
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Recent Topics:
• *** Important: ***
Colorado Opens Special Health Insurance Enrollment
Period For Uninsured People Through April 30
• 5 Census Scams
To Watch Out For In 2020
• Obamacare's Protections for People
With Pre-Existing Conditions Are Even More Important Now
• Will This Year's Census Be the Last?
• Stuck At Home During The Coronavirus
Outbreak But Want To Help Here in Colorado? Here's How.
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