As the November general election draws closer, Mesa County voters who have received their mail ballots now have several secure local options for returning them. Ballot drop boxes across the county opened on October 2 and will remain accessible until 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 3. These drop boxes offer a convenient and reliable way for residents in Grand Junction, Clifton, Fruita, and Palisade to ensure their vote is counted, according to information released regarding the election process.
Mesa County residents can find drop box locations at key community sites. In Grand Junction, voters can use the box at Mesa County Central Services, located at the west entrance of 200 South Spruce Street. Another Grand Junction option is at the Mesa County Fairgrounds, specifically within the Community Building at 2785 US Highway 50. For those associated with higher education, Colorado Mesa University hosts a drop box in Room 213 of the University Center, at 1455 North 12th Street. Additionally, CMU Tech provides a location in Building B, Room 171, at 2520 Blichmann Avenue. The Department of Human Services also offers a drop box in Suite 1060, located at 510 29 1/2 Road in Grand Junction.
Outside of Grand Junction, several communities have dedicated drop boxes to serve their residents. Clifton residents can utilize the Clifton Community Campus, found at 3270 D 1/2 Road. Fruita voters have two distinct options for returning their ballots: one at the Dinosaur Journey Museum, located at 550 Jurassic Court, and another at Victory Life Church, situated at 2066 Highway 6 & 50. In Palisade, voters can find a ballot drop-off point at the Palisade Gym, located at 711 Iowa Avenue.
To provide transparency and peace of mind, Mesa County offers a tracking service called BallotTrax. Voters can enroll in BallotTrax to receive updates on their ballot's journey. This system notifies voters from the time their ballot is mailed until it is received and officially accepted for counting, regardless of whether it was returned by mail or placed in one of the secure ballot drop boxes.
Mesa County's election process includes several security measures designed to protect the integrity of each vote and voter privacy. The county uses unique barcodes for ballot tracking, which helps monitor each ballot's status. Additionally, official election mail logos are printed on the envelopes. Before any ballot is accepted for counting, signatures on each envelope are carefully verified. Once a signature has been accepted, the ballot is then separated from its envelope, a crucial step taken to protect the voter’s privacy and ensure anonymity in the counting process.
