More than 200,000 more Coloradans submitted their ballots Friday and over the weekend, bringing the total to 641,271, according to data from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.
The actual numbers of ballots submitted may be slightly higher because not every county processes ballots over the weekend.
Of the total, 501 people voted early at the few in-person centers that were open. Many more voting centers opened Monday across the state, with others expected to open in phases for a total of 342 by Nov. 3.
Those numbers reflect voter turnout 16 days before Election Day, more than five times what ballots returned in 2016 were –114,248 — 16 days before Election Day. It’s not an exact apples-to-apples comparison because many ballots were sent out several days later in 2016. But nonetheless experts expect voter turnout in 2020 to eclipse 2016.
The weekend turnout brings registered Democrats’ ballot totals to 277,388, or 43% of all ballots returned; Republicans’ ballot totals to 140,446, or nearly 22% of ballots returned; and unaffiliated voters’ ballot totals to 216,947, or nearly 34%.
Women voters are leading in ballot returns, with 326,117 ballots counted, or 51%, compared to men’s 309,095, or 48%. The highest turnout was from voters ages 65-74, followed by those 55-64, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
