Your Personalized Voting Plan

Denver's Voter Service and Polling Centers aren't just polling locations — they're designed to solve voting problems on the spot. Need to register? Done. Got a damaged ballot in the mail? They'll replace it. Want to vote in person instead of mailing it back? Walk right in. The Central Library location at 10 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy opened June 15, with nine additional centers rolling out starting June 22.

If you're voting in person at any VSPC, bring a valid photo ID. Drop boxes, by contrast, require no ID — and Denver's Clerk says they're the most popular option in the city. The boxes run around the clock and are emptied daily by bipartisan teams of Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated volunteers working together.

Key Voting Deadlines — Denver Primary 2026

• June 15 — Central Library VSPC opens at 8 a.m. — first location available
• June 22 — Nine additional VSPCs open across Denver at 8 a.m.
• June 22 — Last day to mail your ballot back — must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day
• June 22 — Last day to request a replacement ballot
• June 26 — VSPCs open Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m. through this date
• June 27 — Saturday VSPC hours: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
• June 29 — Final Sunday — VSPCs reopen 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
• June 30 — Election Day — VSPCs open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Drop boxes close at 7 p.m.

Here's something most Denver voters don't know: you can drop a Denver ballot into another county's drop box. Clerk Lopez confirmed that a Denver ballot dropped in a Jefferson County box before 7 p.m. on Election Day will still be counted — all Colorado counties coordinate to make sure cross-county drops get routed correctly. That means if you're near a drop box in Lakewood or Englewood, you don't have to drive back into the city.

Unaffiliated voters make up the largest voting bloc in Denver. If that's you, watch your mailbox carefully — you'll receive two ballots, one with a red stripe (Republican primary) and one with a blue stripe (Democratic primary). Choose one race to weigh in on and fill out only that ballot. Return the other unused. Submitting both will result in both being canceled.

Are You Ready to Vote in Denver's Primary?

Five quick questions. Make sure nothing trips you up on Election Day.

If you're an unaffiliated voter, how many ballots will you receive in the mail?

• One — I pick my party when I register — Unaffiliated voters in Denver automatically receive TWO ballots — one red-striped (Republican) and one blue-striped (Democratic). You choose which one to fill out and return.
• Two — one for each party's primary — Correct. You'll get both, but fill out only one. Returning both gets both canceled — 612 Denver voters learned that the hard way last primary.
• None — unaffiliated voters can't vote in primaries — Not true in Colorado. Unaffiliated voters can participate in either party's primary — they just need to choose one ballot to submit.

What's the last day you can drop your ballot in a Denver drop box?

• June 22 — June 22 is the last day to MAIL your ballot back (it still must arrive by 7 p.m. Election Day) and the last day to request a replacement ballot. Drop boxes stay open through Election Day.
• June 29 — the day before Election Day — Close, but drop boxes are available right up through Election Day, June 30. No need to rush the day before.
• June 30 by 7 p.m. — Election Day — Correct. Drop boxes are available 24/7 and close at 7 p.m. on Election Day, June 30. That's your final window.

Can you drop a Denver ballot in a Jefferson County or Arapahoe County drop box?

• No — it has to go in a Denver drop box — Actually, yes you can. Denver Clerk Paul Lopez confirmed all Colorado counties coordinate to route cross-county ballots correctly, as long as they arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
• Yes — all Colorado counties work together to route ballots — Right. If you're near a drop box in Lakewood or Englewood, use it. Your Denver ballot will get where it needs to go.
• Only if you register the transfer first — No registration needed. Just drop it before 7 p.m. on Election Day and the county systems handle the rest.

What do you need to bring if you're voting in person at a VSPC?

• Nothing — just show up — In-person voting at a VSPC requires a valid photo ID. Drop boxes and mail-in ballots don't require ID, but in-person voting does.
• A valid photo ID — Correct. Bring a valid ID to any Voter Service and Polling Center. If you're using a drop box, no ID is needed.
• Your mail-in ballot and an ID — You need an ID, but you don't need to bring your mail ballot to vote in person. VSPCs can handle the ballot situation on-site.

Which Denver VSPC opened FIRST — before all others?

• Montbello Recreation Center — Montbello Rec Center opens June 22 with the second wave of VSPCs.
• Denver Public Library — Central Library — Correct. Central Library at 10 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy was the first VSPC to open, starting June 15 at 8 a.m.
• Blair-Caldwell Library — Blair-Caldwell opens June 22 as part of the second phase.

Your Three Voting Options at a Glance

How to Make Sure Your Vote Counts

1. Know your registration status — Not sure if you're registered? Visit the Colorado Secretary of State's voter portal at govotecolorado.gov to check or update your registration before Election Day.
2. Unaffiliated? Choose ONE ballot — If you receive two ballots in the mail (one red-striped, one blue-striped), fill out only one and return the other blank. Submitting both cancels them both.
3. Find your nearest drop box or VSPC — Use Denver's online locator at denvergov.org/elections to find the closest drop box or Voter Service and Polling Center to your address.
4. Mail ballot? Send by June 22 — The last day to mail your ballot back is June 22. After that, use a drop box or go in person — it's the safest way to guarantee it arrives on time.
5. Bring ID for in-person voting — Any VSPC or polling location requires a valid photo ID. Drop boxes do not. Check denvergov.org for the full list of accepted IDs.
6. Election Day final window: 7 a.m.–7 p.m. — VSPCs open at 7 a.m. on June 30. Drop boxes close at exactly 7 p.m. If you're in line at a VSPC before 7 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.

Denver Voting Resources

• Find Drop Boxes & VSPCs Near You: Official Denver Elections locator — enter your address to find the closest voting location.
• Check or Update Your Registration: Verify your voter registration status at the Colorado Secretary of State's portal.
• Denver Elections Division: Questions about your ballot, registration, or a VSPC location? Call the Denver Elections Division directly.
• Central Library VSPC — Open Now: 10 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy, Park View Room. Open June 15 onward. First location to open in Denver.

Denver's primary election system is built around accessibility — drop boxes in every corner of the city, VSPCs that double as voter registration offices, and a cross-county drop policy that means you don't have to go out of your way. Clerk Lopez's office has designed this to remove barriers, not add them.

But the system only works if voters know the rules. The 612 Denver residents who submitted both primary ballots last cycle didn't lose their vote out of bad intent — they just didn't know. That's exactly the kind of mistake this guide is designed to prevent. You now know more than most Denver voters heading into June 30.

All 10 Denver VSPCs: Addresses & Opening Dates

OPEN JUNE 15: Denver Public Library – Central Library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy (Park View Room)

OPEN JUNE 22 — all locations below open Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday June 27 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Monday June 29 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Election Day June 30 7 a.m.–7 p.m.:

Barnum Recreation Center — 360 N Hooker St (Multipurpose Room)

Blair-Caldwell Library — 2401 Welton St (Large Conference Room)

Calvary Baptist Church of Denver — 6500 E Girard Ave (Fellowship Hall)

Christ Church United Methodist — 690 N Colorado Blvd (Fellowship Hall)

Harvard Gulch Recreation Center — 550 E Iliff Ave (Multipurpose Room)

Harvey Park Recreation Center — 2120 S Tennyson Way (Multipurpose Room)

Hiawatha Davis Jr Recreation Center — 3334 N Holly St (Multipurpose Room)

Highland Recreation Center — 2880 N Osceola St (Multipurpose Room)

Montbello Recreation Center — 15555 E 53rd Ave (Multipurpose Room)

Additional VSPCs may be announced closer to Election Day. Visit denvergov.org/elections for the most current list.

Sources & References

• Primary source: news — Sophia Villalba
• Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez — Statements on drop box operations, unaffiliated voter ballots, cross-county drop policy, and VSPC opening schedule
• Colorado Secretary of State — Elections Division — Unaffiliated voter primary ballot rules, valid ID requirements for in-person voting, voter registration portal
• Denver7 / Sophia Villalba — Original reporting on VSPC locations, opening dates, hours of operation, and Clerk Lopez interview