Colorado Secretary of State
10/09/2026 | Press release | Archived content
October 9 - Update from Colorado Department of State, Colorado County Clerks Association Regarding Ballot Issue 7A
The below statement is jointly issued by the Colorado Department of State and Colorado County Clerks Association.
Denver, October 9, 2026 - The Colorado Department of State and Colorado County Clerks Association are providing an update on Ballot Issue 7A.
On October 7, the Colorado Department of State sent the Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Weld County Clerks guidance regarding how to tabulate votes for Ballot Issue 7A and distinguish eligible voters in the contest. Following that guidance, on October 8, members of the Department 's Elections Division convened extensively with each affected County to set testing protocols in the voting system to ensure only eligible votes are counted in the contest. The Department will continue to support the counties in this matter.
Adams County Clerk Josh Zygielbaum, Douglas County Clerk Sheri Davis, and Weld County Clerk Carly Koppes have issued the following statement:
"Our commitment remains the same: secure, accurate, transparent, and accessible elections for every eligible Colorado voter. Election officials will continue to follow the law, apply established procedures, and work diligently to serve voters. Colorado voters can have confidence in the dedication of their local election teams and the processes in place to carry out their responsibilities. Our focus remains on the voters, the integrity of the process, and ensuring every eligible vote counts. "
Arapahoe County Clerk Joan Lopez has issued the following statement:
"The most important thing our voters need to know is that their votes will be counted accurately, securely, and transparently, and results will be reported in a timely fashion. We 're proud of the problem-solving abilities and team mindset our partners at the state and neighboring counties have, and we 're proud to be their partner, election after election. "
Colorado County Clerks Association Director Matt Crane and Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold have issued the following statement:
"We are proud of the partnership between the Department of State and county clerks offices. The Department has worked with the four affected counties, and will continue to provide support. Only votes on ballots of voters eligible for the district election will be counted. Every voter will have their voice heard in this election. "
What Voters Should Know
Voters should vote the ballot they were sent.
The Department of State, the Colorado County Clerks Association, and the four affected counties have and will continue to work together in establishing protocols to ensure that only eligible voters have their vote in this contest counted.
Voters who received Ballot Issue 7A but who do not reside within the FRPRD boundaries will have their ballot counted, with the exception of Ballot Issue 7A.
Ballot processing does not begin until October 19. No votes have been tallied in this contest at this time.
This measure was referred to voters by the Front Range Passenger Rail District (FRPRD), which did not adequately communicate the District 's updated boundaries to counties following a 2026 change in law. The District has since sent a letter to the Counties to clarify the boundaries for the district.
The complete list of jurisdictions within the FPRP District can be found on the District 's website.
Colorado Secretary of State published this content on October 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 12, 2026 at 03:59 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]