By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice
In Colorado, voters can ensure transparency and increase self-awareness with BallotTrax, an online ballot tracking tool which provides real-time updates on the status of your ballot.
Are you signed up for it yet? If not, following is some detail.
Mesa County Clerk Bobbie Gross emphasizes the system’s importance, especially in light of recent fraudulent ballot-casting concerns. BallotTrax empowered voters to reach out to Gross when discrepancies arose.
“The voters were notified, they contacted our office, which is absolutely what they should be doing,” she said.
Because these voters had registered with Ballotrax and were monitoring notifications, they were able to take swift action, helping Mesa County officials to investigate fraud immediately.
“As soon as we got notification from the first two voters, that got sent over to the district attorney for investigation,” Gross said, highlighting how BallotTrax helps voters catch and address discrepancies immediately.
Each ballot goes through strict verification steps once it is brought to the clerk’s office.
“It makes two [signature verification] passes before it’s even open[ed]. We run our automatic signature verification, then let our judges do their signature accepting or declining,” Gross said. “After that, once they’re done, the ballots are run through again.”
This two-layered review of ballot signatures, before envelopes are opened, ensures that each ballot is both authentic and accurate, before being processed.
Gross shared that even though some affected voters reached out quickly, election volunteers did not catch some inconsistencies: “There were three that did get by our election judges. So, I will be three votes over [at the end of the election canvas].”
The three affected voters were still able to cast their vote. Gross isn’t casting blame at election judges over the criminal activity.
“We caught the majority of them, and I’m thankful for that. And I’m still thankful for our judges. They’re human. We make mistakes,” Gross said.
A surplus of three fraudulent votes reminds us that we can be vigilant about our own votes, she said, while also being observant about election-related activities surrounding us.
How BallotTrax Works
BallotTrax simplifies ballot tracking by notifying voters at each key stage. Once your ballot is mailed out, it’s tracked through each step. Voters who opt-in receive notifications via text, email or phone whenever their ballot’s status changes.
How to Use BallotTrax
- Visit the BallotTrax website: https://ballottrax.coloradosos.gov/voter.
- Register or log in: Enter your voter information — name, birthdate, and ZIP code.
- Review ballot status: Check whether your ballot has been mailed, received, or counted.
- Enable notifications: Get immediate alerts on ballot status changes.
Using BallotTrax offers peace of mind:
- Confirm ballot receipt: Verify that the election office has your ballot.
- Resolve issues promptly: Get alerts if there’s a signature or other issue, allowing quick correction.
- Boost voting confidence: Track your ballot’s progress, helping to ensure every vote counts accurately.
If you receive a notification that doesn’t match up with reality, for example you don’t receive your ballot or haven’t voted yet but BallotTrax says otherwise, you should reach out to your county clerk immediately.
By tracking ballots and staying informed, Colorado voters can contribute to a secure voting process, Gross says. As several Mesa County voters have proven, individual actions can help strengthen the integrity of our elections.