Arapahoe County updated its election precinct map to account for changes in voter population, adding five new precincts and changing the boundaries of 34 existing precincts. No changes were made to municipal, legislative, congressional, commissioner or other district boundaries.
By law, the Clerk and Recorder’s Office is responsible for updating the countywide precinct map to ensure that no precinct exceeds 1,500 active voters, or up to 2,000 active voters with Board of County Commissioner approval. The number of active voters comes from Colorado Secretary of State’s SCORE voter registration database. Each precinct must fall entirely within the boundaries of legislative districts and follow natural and artificial boundaries.
The Clerk and Recorder’s Office adjusted the boundaries of 12 precincts that were above or approaching the 2,000 voter limit by combining neighboring precincts and creating new precincts elsewhere. The changes resulted in a net increase of five precincts, from 395 to 400. The updated precinct map and a list of precinct changes are available at www.arapahoevotes.com/maps.
“Arapahoe County is the state’s third largest county and we continue to see significant population growth, especially in the City of Aurora and unincorporated areas,” said Clerk and Recorder Matt Crane. “Fortunately, we also see a very high rate of voter registration, and we’re thrilled to see so many of our new citizens participating in our democracy.”
Arapahoe County’s population grew by nearly 11 between 2010 and 2016. The voting-age population (age 18+) grew at even faster pace of 13.5 percent to reach 484,798 residents, according to data from the State Demographer’s Office. Of those, 410,418 residents, or 85 percent, are registered to vote.
Voters whose precinct numbers have changed will receive a mailing advising them of the change. This information is necessary if a voter plans to attend their political party’s March 6 precinct caucus. To find your precinct number, please visit www.arapahoevotes.com.
The changes to precinct boundaries do not affect the districts in which citizens live and vote, nor how a voter may cast a ballot. Colorado no longer has precinct polling places. Instead, active registered voters receive a mail ballot for every election in which they are eligible to vote, or vote in-person at any Voter Service and Polling Center in the county.
The precinct changes were vetted through the Arapahoe County Democratic and Republican Parties, and approved Nov. 7 by the Board of County Commissioners. By law, precinct boundaries used in the 2018 General Election may not be changed again until after the 2020 U.S. Census.
Precinct and district maps are available online, and printed copies may be purchased from the Clerk and Recorder’s Office at 5334 S. Prince St., Littleton. For more information, please call Arapahoe County Elections at 303-795-4511 or visit www.arapahoevotes.com/maps.
# # #
Media Contact: Haley McKean, Communication and Public Information Manager, 303-734-5465