Voting Tips & Resources

The dictionary defines voting… I’m just kidding. Let’s get into it. Thank you for voting! Really, thank you; I appreciate it. Before we dig in, one quick disclaimer:

I made this page myself, and I pay for the website hosting fees. This voter guide reflects my personal opinions and positions as an individual resident and elected official. It is produced and paid for using my personal funds and is not an official publication of the City of Loveland, nor is it authorized, funded, or endorsed by the city. No city resources were used in the development of this guide.

Tip 1: Make a Voting Plan

There are many different ways to tackle the ballot. Some people hold parties*, some people will work on it a little each day, and some, like me, will schedule one evening to vote. (And it has never taken the whole evening.) I personally like to get settled with a fun beverage and snack at my dining table, but anywhere you feel comfortable is best.

My first request here is: please fill out your whole ballot. All elections, from the president, all the way down to city council, matter. If you only fill out the top of the ballot and stop, it makes it much harder for the folks in higher office to get what they promised done. Not to mention that every level of government is responsible for critical day-to-day elements of our lives, and it’s all funded by tax dollars, which is your money.

There are a lot of things on the ballot this year, but don’t get overwhelmed! All of the information you’re looking for can be found in just a few places.

Now here’s my second ask: please make a “vote” calendar event for:

Filling out your ballot,
Dropping off your ballot,
Mailing your ballot,
And/or voting in person.

*A benefit of a ballot party or filling out your ballot with friends/family is that you can ask questions and discuss the initiatives.

What if I don’t have a ballot? If you did not receive a ballot in the mail, or can’t find yours, you can request a replacement by:

Calling the elections office (970-498-7820) by Oct. 26
Visiting a vote center:
- The Loveland Police & Courts (810 E 10th St.) - opens Oct. 19
- King of Glory Lutheran Church: 2919 Wilson Ave. - opens Oct. 30
- The Ranch Thomas M. McKee Building: 5280 Arena Cir. - opens Oct. 30
- Larimer County Loveland Campus: 200 Peridot Ave. - opens Oct. 30

Visit Larimer County’s where to vote page for voting center hours.

Tip 2: Where to Find Information on Federal & State Office Candidates

For information on federal and state-level candidates, I can’t recommend The Colorado Sun highly enough. They’re committed to fact-based, nonpartisan journalism, and it’s an award-winning nonprofit news outlet that only covers Colorado.

They have a whole page dedicated to the 2026 election, with candidate profiles, so you can compare the two candidates side by side. You can find these fastest by searching for a candidate’s name in the search bar.

Tip 3: Where to Find Information on County Office Candidates

For county office candidates, the Coloradoan and the Loveland Reporter-Herald have election guides. Both are subscription-based, but they do have these low-cost options:

Please Note (All Candidates): There are also many voter guides. If you’re part of a union, political organization, or there’s a nonprofit you trust, they may have a voter guide. These are typically mailed, but you can often find them online.

Tip 4: Where to Find Information on Judges

Don’t fear! The Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation has got your back! They support judicial performance evaluations across the state and are responsible for:

Overseeing judicial performance surveys (attorneys and non-attorneys)
Providing evaluation results to voters
And more

Visit the Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation’s website for a video tutorial, judge evaluations, and more.

Tip 5: Where to Find Information on Amendments, Propositions, & Ballot Issues

This is where we really get into it: there are many ways to get information on the last section of your ballot. There are both physical and digital resources. I’m not suggesting that you use all of them, just one(s) that you prefer.

Blue & White Booklets
You should have received two booklets in the mail, one blue and one white. The blue book is the official, nonpartisan guide, that covers statewide ballot items. It is made by the legislature's nonpartisan legislative council.

You should have also received a smaller, white booklet from Larimer County. It has information on county ballot issues and locations of ballot boxes and voting centers. Because this is for the whole county, some of the issues mentioned here will not be on Loveland’s ballots.

The Colorado Sun
For statewide amendments and propositions, I once again recommend The Colorado Sun’s election coverage. They often include tax calculators so you can see how much passing a ballot initiative will save or cost.

Voter Guides
If you’re part of a union, political organization, or there’s a nonprofit you trust, they may have a voter guide. These are typically mailed, but you can often find them online.

Amendments, Propositions, & Ballot Issues I Support

Amendment 87
Do you (or your business) make less than $500,000 per year? Do you want a state tax reduction that makes sure we’re properly funding K-12 education, healthcare, and childcare? Amendment 87 does just that. If you want to see how much money you’ll save, check out The Colorado Sun’s graduated income tax calculator.

I support Amendment 87 because it finally makes the richest among us pay their fair share and gives most Coloradans some tax relief during these times of instability and inflation. Plus, it funds healthcare, K-12 education, and childcare, all things I passionately support.

Proposition NN
This proposition allows the state to keep tax dollars that are already collected each year and spend them on K-12 education. Let’s run through the super depressing data points brought to us by the Colorado Fiscal Institute:

In 2023, 119 out of 185 school districts in Colorado were operating on a 4-day school week. “While only 14% of students in the state actually attend one of these districts, which are almost entirely rural, it is reasonable to expect more school districts to implement the schedule, as TABOR makes attracting and maintaining qualified teachers and staff a challenge.”
Colorado ranks as the fifth lowest for starting teacher salaries in the nation
Only 4 in 10 districts have a starting salary of at least $40,000
Four-day school weeks were implemented to increase teacher recruitment and retention, but little to no evidence suggests it’s working. In fact, turnover rates remain higher in 4-day school week districts.
Studies show that 4-day school weeks have a negative impact on student achievement and academic growth.

Proposition NN will:

Help schools manage class sizes
Retain teachers and increase their pay
Expand career and technical education

If you want to learn more about TABOR, the Colorado Fiscal Institute has a whole landing page dedicated to explaining what TABOR actually does, despite its catchy name. And if you have some time and want a wild read, here’s the Wikipedia page for Douglas Bruce. He was TABOR’s author and the first Colorado legislator to get formally censured.

Larimer County Ballot Issue 1A
This ballot issue will help reduce wildfire risks, safeguard our drinking water, and maintain local evacuation routes. Natural disasters are not an if; they’re a when, and we need to be ready. This small tax (30 cents on a $100 purchase) will not be added to essential purchases (like food for home consumption, gas, diapers, and prescription drugs).

Learn more in the Loveland Reporter-Herald’s “Larimer County election: Ballot Issue 1A, voters to decide on 0.3% sales tax“ article or the Coloradoan’s “This Larimer County ballot measure asks for a sales tax increase“ article.

Ballot Issue 7A
Ballot Issue 7A provides more funding for our Front Range train system! It’s only 33 cents per $100 spent, and it will:

Get some cars off of I-25, reducing traffic and congestion, so even if you never plan to ride the train and want to drive, this tax will make that trip easier (every person who takes the train means one less vehicle on the road)
Offer an alternative to driving (many folks can benefit: people who’ve had too much to drink, teens/youth, many older adults, some folks with mental or physical disabilities, and even people who just hate driving)
Give us more daily trips to Denver (10 trips a day) with future connections to Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and even into New Mexico and Wyoming
Fund a fancier station, instead of just a concrete platform

The Colorado Connector (CoCo) is coming in 2029, and we’re already discussing Loveland’s station. Other stops will include Denver Union Station, Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville, Boulder, Longmont, and Fort Collins. You can read the full train plan on the Colorado Connector website.

If you want to find out how much this tax will cost you per year, check out the calculator in The Colorado Sun’s “Ballot Issue 7A: Front Range voters will weigh sales tax hike to pay for passenger train service.”

Tip 6: Find the Closest/Most Convenient Location to Vote

Find somewhere either near your home or on your commute, maybe even on the route you take to run errands! Ballot boxes are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 pm.

If you’re dropping off your ballot,* you have until 7 pm on Nov. 3 to vote.

Drop Boxes (open 24/7):

Loveland Habitat for Humanity ReStore (5250 N Garfield Ave.)
Loveland Police & Courts (810 E 10th St.)
Loveland Public Library (300 N Adams Ave.)
Larimer County Loveland Campus (200 Peridot Ave.)

If you’re mailing your ballot, Monday, Oct. 26 is the deadline. After that, you need to drop it off.*

If you’re voting in person, you have until 7 pm on Nov. 3 to vote.

Voting Centers:

The Loveland Police & Courts (810 E 10th St.) - opens Oct. 19
King of Glory Lutheran Church: 2919 Wilson Ave. - opens Oct. 30
The Ranch Thomas M. McKee Building: 5280 Arena Cir. - opens Oct. 30
Larimer County Loveland Campus: 200 Peridot Ave. - opens Oct. 30