spacer
TopL
Voter Information
Campaign Information
Election Judges
Ballot Initiatives
Maps and Records
Products & Services
Contact Us
Información en español
spacer
spacer
Poll Watcher Appointments
There are three categories of observers who are permitted in polling places:
  • “Official Observers” -- credentialed by Colorado Secretary of State or by federal government.
  • “Media Observers” -- credentialed members of news media.
  • “Poll Watchers” -- credentialed by county Clerk and Recorder. This page tells you how to get your poll watchers credentialed.
spacer
spacer
Who May Appoint Poll Watchers

The following lists who is entitled to appoint poll watchers.

General Election or Congressional Vacancy Election

  • a political party chairperson on behalf of the party
  • an unaffiliated or write-in candidate
  • registered issues committees for or against a ballot issue

Coordinated Election (Denver school board or special district)

  • a candidate
  • registered issues committees for or against a ballot issue

Primary Election

  • a political party chairperson on behalf of the party
  • a party candidate on the ballot

Recall Election

  • the official subject to recall
  • a successor candidate on the recall ballot

Municipal Election

  • a candidate
  • registered issues committees for or against a ballot issue

Recounts

  • the candidate involved in the recount
  •  registered issues committees for or against a ballot issue
  • a political party chairperson on behalf of a party involved in the recount

spacer
spacer
How to Appoint Poll Watchers

Appointing authorities may fill out the Poll Watcher Appointment List spreadsheet, listing those people they wish to give poll watcher status to and the polling place/service center where they will be assigned. 

Close family members (by blood or marriage) are prohibited from being poll watchers for a candidate in the precincts where they are on the ballot. Consult the Table of Consanguinity below. The yellow boxes denote prohibited family members.

Submit these lists as early as possible. Processing of poll watcher certificates starts about two weeks prior to an election. Do not wait until the last minute to submit your list. 

The Forms

Visit our please visit the Campaign Forms page for a Poll Watcher Appointment spreadsheet. Email the completed spreadsheet to electionscomm@denvergov.org.  

The Rules

Carefully read the state statute and Colorado Secretary of State rules regarding poll watchers.

spacer
spacer
Certification of Poll Watchers

All names on your appointment list will be checked for voter registration status. Then Appointment Certificates will be created and emailed to you. 

You will be responsible for obtaining the signatures of the party chair, issue committee representative or candidate representative on each form, unless you have sent us an electronic signature. This portion of the form must be filled out and signed in order for the certificate to be valid.
spacer
spacer
Campaign Links
spacer
spacer
Requirements
  • If appointed by a party, poll watchers must be affiliated with that party.
  • If selected by an unaffiliated candidate, poll watchers must be unaffiliated.
  • Ballot opponents and proponents must be registered as such with the Colorado Secretary of State if a state ballot issue, or with the Denver Clerk and Recorder if a Denver issue.
  • Watchers need not be registered to vote in the county where they are watching, but must be registered to vote within Colorado.
  • Candidates and family members may not be poll watchers in the precincts where the candidate is running for office (see Table of Consanguinity information, at left).
spacer
spacer
At the Polling Place

Upon visiting a service center, poll watchers must present a completed and signed Appointment Certificate to the election judge supervisor.

When the certificate is presented a polling place or service center, the election judge supervisor will administer the poll watcher oath. Then both the election judge and the poll watcher must sign the oath on the certificate.

spacer
spacer
Tips For Poll Watchers

Election Day

Lists of who has voted will be kept at each polling place, and may be inspected by poll watchers. Note that voters are identified by Voter ID only, and not by name. 

In order to make effective use of these lists it is highly recommended that you obtain a list of registered voters for your district well prior to Election Day.

These data files are in .csv format.

Early Voting

Lists of voters will not be posted at early voting sites. This data is available electronically, and uploaded each day during early voting.

TopR
BottomL
BottomM
BottomR