Oct 6, 2008 2:50 pm US/Mountain
Deadline Looms For Voter Registration
DENVER (CBS4) ―
The deadline to register to vote in Colorado is Monday and volunteers have been busy trying to register people at the last minute.
After 5 p.m. people can still email or fax in their
registration to their local county clerk's office by 11:59 p.m.
Registration can also be mailed in as long as the mail is postmarked
with Monday's date.
Denver voters may also drop off their registrations at the Denver Elections Office located at 3888 East Mexico before midnight.
About one-third of Colorado's population is unregistered. Add to that typically about one-third of the state's voters who are registered but inactive -- that is, they don't normally vote unless it is a presidential election year.
"I'm a new mom, so I kind of want to be in charge of my kid's future," Adrienne LaRocca of Lakewood said.
"People come in waves. All of a sudden, we have five, or none," said Rita Schweitz, a voter registration volunteer. "Yesterday we were out all day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We got 115 forms filled out, which is a lot."
David Winkler is one of many volunteers all over the state working to sign people up. He says it's easier this year because the candidates' frequent visits have convinced voters Colorado counts more than ever.
"I think it's going to be really close," Winkler said. "Colorado could easily determine this election."
Many signing up are also asking for mail-in ballots. They remember the hours-long lines from 2006 and they've heard Colorado's ballot this year is the longest in the nation.
"They are now realizing they don't want to stand in those lines, so they're getting mail-in ballots," Schweitz said.
"A couple hours at the polls really doesn't sound that convenient when we have a little one," LaRocca said.
Of those who are registered, Independents make up the state's largest bloc, followed by Republicans and then Democrats. But that trend may be changing, with volunteers seeing more motivation this year than ever before.
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