DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said Friday that Colorado is well-equipped to handle mail-in ballots. She also expressed concerns about possible disruptions to the U.S. Postal Service caused by President Donald Trump’s administration.
According to the Washington Post, while the USPS warned 46 states that it cannot guarantee absentee ballots will arrive in time to be counted, Colorado was not among them.
Colorado has had universal mail-in voting since 2013.
The USPS’ general counsel did send a letter to Gridwold’s office regarding the November election, but it was not as stern a warning as other states received.
READ: Letter from USPS general counsel to Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
“Under our reading of Colorado’s election laws, the vast majority of your voters should have sufficient time to receive, complete, and return their ballots by the state’s deadlines,” the letter stated. “However, certain deadlines concerning mail-in ballots, particularly with respect to voters who register to vote or update their registration information shortly before Election Day, appear to be incongruous with the Postal Service’s delivery standards. This mismatch creates a risk that some ballots will not be returned by mail in time to be counted under your laws as we understand them.”
Moreover, the letter noted concerns about whether people who become eligible to vote or make changes to their voter record after ballots are sent out will be able to return their ballots in time for them to be counted.
Griswold said ballots are sent to voters three weeks ahead of the election to allow for adequate time for them to be completed and returned via the mail. She noted that there are also more than 300 ballot drop-off boxes located throughout the state, where ballots can be returned as late as 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Griswold also expressed concerns about what she described as attacks on the USPS from the Trump Administration.
Griswold’s full statement is below:
“Colorado’s election model is well situated to handle both the delivery and return of mail ballots. While I am concerned about service disruptions and other attacks on the U.S. Postal Service from President Trump and members of his administration, I am in confident that Coloradans will have their voices heard in November’s election. We send out mail ballots three weeks in advance of Election Day to allow sufficient time for delivery. In addition, there are alternative methods for returning ballots rather than returning them though the mail. We have over 300 drop boxes across the state or voters can drop their ballots off in person at a voting center. In fact, starting eight days before an election we encourage voters to use one of these two options rather than the mail to ensure their ballot is received by 7PM on Election Day.”