MESA COUNTY, Colo. On Monday, Mesa County commissioners approved a request to have the November 2013 election as a mail ballot election.
Mail ballot elections can only take place in odd years, non-gubernatorial elections. In even number years, residents must request them. In the most recent election, mail-in ballots increased exponentially, despite residents having to request them. Officials say 80 percent of ballots cast were through the mail.
County clerk officials hope to see legislation that would standardize voting for each election year.
Shelia Reiner, Mesa County Clerk, said, "When we have a gubernatorial or presidential, people get confused, and we're treating them differently from one election to another. Because they're thinking, 'where's my mail ballot? You always mail me a ballot.' And in those elections under current law, we're still not allowed to mail a ballot out to someone unless they've asked for it specifically."
Officials want to remind residents that Grand Junction has an election coming up in March, which will be a mail ballot election. Grand Junction residents can expect to receive ballots in the mail the week of March 11.
