Secretary of State: GOP still leads in ballot returns

CORRECTED VERSION: An earlier release provide the incorrect amount for the percentage of GOP ballots returned. It is 24 percent.

DENVER, June 27, 2016 -- Here's the latest tally from county clerks of mail ballots received and in-person voting for Tuesday's primary election:

Democrats -- Ballots sent: 990,873; Ballots returned: 208,572; Percent: 21%

Republicans -- Ballots sent: 997,631; Ballots returned: 239,483; Percent: 24%

The turnout among active voters in the 2014 primary was 21.84 percent. In that contest, almost one-fifth of the ballots were turned in on Election Day.

To be counted, ballots must be received by the county clerk by 7 p.m. on Election Day – postmarks don’t count. Therefore, voters should return their ballots personally to a ballot drop box or Voter Service and Polling Center, rather than by mail. Use the online voter registration system or contact your county clerk and recorder to find a convenient location to return your ballot.

Preliminary statewide and county-by-county results for the 2016 Primary Election will be available shortly after the polls close at 7 p.m. on the Election Night Reporting page of the Secretary of State’s website.

The only contested statewide race this year is the GOP primary for U.S. Senate where five Republicans are vying for the chance to unseat Democrat Michael Bennet in November. Also on the ballot are races for seven congressional districts, three Board of Education seats, three University of Colorado regent seats, 18 of 35 Senate seats, all 65 House seats, all 22 district attorney offices and assorted county commissioner races.

Today's numbers reflect ballots received by the counties, even if the ballots are waiting to be reviewed by election judges. The figures were updated at 8 this morning. A county-by-county analysis can be viewed by opening the attached file or going to Accountability in Colorado Elections, ACE, the innovative page of the Colorado Secretary of State website containing election and voting statistics of all kinds.

In every county except one, ballots are only going to Republicans and Democrats. Unaffiliated voters can participate in the primary by affiliating with a major party through 7 p.m. Election Day. Pitkin County is the exception, because its home rule charter permits voters who are unaffiliated or belong to a minor party to vote in primary elections, but only for candidates for county office, such as commissioner.

Ballots received to date 6/27/2016 (PDF)