Registering to vote for the first time in Colorado
If you have a Colorado ID or Driver’s License, you can register to vote online in Colorado at any time including on Election Day (if you want to receive a ballot by mail, you must register no later than eight days prior to the election (October 31, 2022). This option is often the most convenient for all Coloradans and especially transgender and nonbinary Coloradans whose identity documents may not match their gender identity or presentation.
To register online, you need your Colorado ID or Driver’s License number, must register under your legal name, and include your current address. Gender is not a required field on any voter registration form, but there is an optional field on the form to select your gender identity.
If you don’t have a Colorado ID or Driver’s License, you need to fill out a voter registration form (en español) and mail, fax, or scan the form and email it in to your county clerk. You can also go to your county clerk’s office to register to vote in person. Your legal name is required on this form in addition to your current address. Gender is not a required field on any voter registration form, but there is an optional field on the form to list your gender identity.
Starting on Monday, October 24, you can visit any Voter Service & Polling Center (VSPC) in your county to register to vote. In Colorado you can register to vote up to and on Election Day – just be sure to get to a VSPC by 7 PM on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
PLEASE NOTE: Current Colorado law requires all Colorado residents to register to vote/update their voter registration under their current legal name. This is not ideal for transgender and non-binary Coloradans who are in the process of their name change and/or don’t have the resources to legally change their names.
Updating your voter registration in Colorado after a name change
If you are a transgender or non-binary Coloradan and have legally updated your name on your Colorado ID or Driver’s License, then you should fill out a new Voter Registration Form (en español) and mail, fax, or scan and email it to your county clerk with your updated name, new ID/Driver’s License number, and provide your former legal name in section 8 of the form.
If you are a transgender or non-binary Coloradan and have legally updated your name, but not yet updated your Colorado ID or Driver’s License, then you should fill out a new Voter Registration Form (en español) and mail, fax, or scan and email it to your county clerk with your updated name, current ID/Driver’s License number, and provide your former legal name in section 8 of the form.
Updating your gender on your Colorado voter registration
Whether or not you have updated the gender on your ID, Driver’s License, birth certificate, or other documents, you can update your gender identity on your voter registration at any time. There is no need to withdraw your voter registration only to immediately re-register with an updated gender.
If you have a Colorado ID or Driver’s License, you can update the gender on your voter registration online at any time. You need your Colorado ID or Driver’s License number, must register under your legal name, and include your current address. After you enter your general information on the “Find My Registration Voter Registration” page, you should click on the “update my address” link next to your address, which will take you through the whole process of updating your registration including your gender identity.
Note: Gender is not a required field on any voter registration form, but there is a field on the online form to check your gender identity and it only has the options “male/female/other.” If those options aren’t ideal for you, you may wish to follow the process below where you can fill our the paper Voter Registration Form and mail, fax, or scan and email it to your county clerk.
If you don’t have a Colorado ID or Driver’s License, you should update your gender identity on a Voter Registration Form (en español) and mail, fax, or scan and email it in to your county clerk. You can also go to your county clerk’s office to update your registration in-person. Your legal name is required on this form in addition to your current address. Gender is not a required field on any voter registration form, but there is an optional field 10 on the form to list your gender identity.
The information above is meant to supplement general information about voting in Colorado. If you have general questions about your eligibility to register/vote, you can find it at www.onecolorado.turbovote.org or call Colorado’s Voter Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
If you’re looking for information on how to cast your ballot as a transgender or nonbinary Coloradan, click here.
If you’re looking for information about your voting rights as a transgender or nonbinary Coloradan, click here.