The Douglas County Clerk and Recorder is moving forward with plans to conduct the August 2010 Primary as a mail ballot-only election. A public hearing was held on Thursday, January 28, 2010, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., 100 Third Street, at the County Commissioner’s hearing room, in Castle Rock, to hear public comment on the proposal. Items discussed at the hearing included: 

House Bill 1015, passed into law during the 2009 Colorado General Assembly, allows Counties the opportunity to conduct a primary election by mail ballot-only, after having hosted a public hearing to obtain public comment, as well as some additional requirements: 

• An election mailing will be sent to all unaffiliated voters to remind them that they must affiliate with a party in order to vote in the primary election; and
• Mail ballot service centers will be made available to citizens at the County’s motor vehicle locations in Highlands Ranch and Parker and at the Election Office in Castle Rock. 

“Currently 66% of the County’s active voters have already chosen the permanent mail ballot option, so moving to a mail ballot option is a choice our voters are already making.” said Sheri Davis, Douglas County Election Manager. “In the 2008 primary, for example, 86% of the total ballots cast were by mail,” she added. 

“It is also important to recognize that the cost-per-voter with a mail ballot-only election is about $6.00 per voter, while the cost-per-voter for the polling place is about $43.00 per voter using 2008 election costs,” said Jack Arrowsmith, Douglas County Clerk and Recorder. “By holding the 2010 Primary as a mail ballot-only election we anticipate saving taxpayers roughly $200,000, cutting the County’s election costs almost in half,” he concluded. 

“After hearing no objections from the public, the decision to conduct the 2010 Primary Election as a Mail Ballot-only election was made,” summarized Arrowsmith. 

For additional information please call 303.660.7444 or go to www.DouglasVotes.com.