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Voting and Polling Center Coming to CU Anschutz

Written by Chris Casey | January 27, 2020

Voting just got easier for members of the CU Anschutz Medical Campus community, as well as for residents living in close proximity to the campus. A new, on-campus Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC) will be open March 2-3 for the Presidential Primary Election. In addition, a 24-hour drop box will be available on campus, starting on Feb. 10, for ballot drop-off.

The VSPC will be in the lobby of Education 2 South for people who want to cast their ballots in person. Ballot drop-off will also be available at this location.

For drive-up convenience, voters can also use a 24-hour drop box installed in the Monte Vista parking lot on the northwest side of campus.

A 24-hour drop-off box like this one will be installed in the Monte Vista parking lot and will be available for use starting Feb. 10.

The establishment of the voting locations comes per the passage of House Bill, C.R.S. 1-5-102.9(1)(b.5)(V), which focuses on higher-education sites to engage more students in voting. Per the statute’s definitions, CU Anschutz falls into the definition of “campus,” as our enrollment of full- and part-time graduate students is over 2,000, and we own or use buildings to regularly provide students with education or college activities.

Collaboration with Adams County

“Based on the statute, we are required to have one Voter Service and Polling Center and one 24-hour drop box,” said David Turnquist, associate vice chancellor of Facilities Management at CU Anschutz.

Turnquist and members of his staff worked with representatives of the Adams County Government Clerk & Recorder’s Office to identify locations for these two requirements.

"Adding Voter Service and Polling Centers and 24-hour drop boxes to local universities – including CU Anschutz and Front Range Community College – are a great service to Adams County students and voters," said Josh Zygielbaum, Adams County Clerk & Recorder. "We're excited to build on this partnership for many Election Days to come."

The VSPC in the lobby of Ed 2 will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, March 2, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, March 3. For those who are coming from off-campus to vote, free short-term parking will be available in the Julesburg Visitor Parking Lot, directly east of Ed 2. Adams County will place signs directing visitors to the free parking location. All other visitor lots will require payment.

Locations to be evaluated

The CU Anschutz VSPC and 24-hour drop box locations will be used for every election beyond March 2020, but Turnquist said the specific locations will be evaluated after the Presidential Primary Election.

“The final choice for those locations rests with the university,” he said. “Both locations will be evaluated to determine effectiveness of that location, impact on operations, accessibility and other considerations.”