Ballots heading your way this week for Colorado's presidential primary

Ballots for Colorado's presidential primary should be coming to your mailbox starting this week.

Monday is the first day ballots can go in the mail, which means voters could receive them midweek.

In 2020, for the first time in years, Colorado is choosing its delegates for the presidential race via primary instead of caucus. It will join more than a dozen states voting in primaries March 3, also known as Super Tuesday. (By the way, Colorado will still do party caucuses March 7 to begin the process of deciding who the primary candidates will be in each race other than president, such as U.S. Senate, U.S. House, statewide and county races.)

Here's what to know:

RESULTS: Live results from Colorado presidential primary on Super Tuesday

Some 17-year-olds can vote

But only if they'll be 18 by Nov. 3.

Also, anybody who isn't already registered to vote can do so up through the day of the election. Do it now on the Colorado Secretary of State's website, GoVoteColorado.com. But if it's later than Feb. 24, be sure to do it at a voter service center listed below instead so you can get your ballot at the same time because it'll be too late to have one mailed to you.

Only presidential candidates are on the ballot

In this election, you'll choose your preference for the next president of the United States. No other races or issues are on the ballot.

The votes will decide how many delegates each presidential candidate will get. Those delegates will eventually decide who gets the nomination for their party, culminating at the national conventions this summer.

ELECTION 2020: What are we voting on, and when? A guide

Did you get two ballots? Don't vote both

Registered Republicans and Democrats will get a ballot only for their respective party.

Unaffiliated voters will receive both ballots — unless they requested a specific party's ahead of time.

If you get two ballots, you must decide which party's primary to participate in. You can't return both ballots if you want your vote to count. If both ballots are returned, neither will count.

Not everybody listed on the ballot is still in the race

On the Republican side, six candidates are listed, but four who are listed have dropped out since filing to be placed on the ballot. Only two are still in the race:

Donald J. Trump

Bill Weld

On the Democratic side, 17 candidates appear, but several who are listed on the ballot have dropped out since filing to be on the Colorado ballot. The candidates who remain are (in order of appearance on ballot):

(Note: Several candidates have dropped out since this story was first published.)

Tulsi Gabbard

Bernie Sanders

Elizabeth Warren

Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente III (on the ballot in only a few states and not to be confused with his father, a Republican candidate of the same name. He has no campaign website)

Michael R. Bloomberg

Joseph R. Biden

Ballots are due March 3

You can mail them back as long as they have enough time to reach their destination by March 3. Larimer County Clerk Angela Myers recommends not mailing ballots after Feb. 24. Postage is necessary to mail in the ballot. Otherwise, drop them off at one of these locations:

Where to drop off your ballot

24-hour drop-off locations. Ballots accepted Monday through 7 p.m. March 3:

Larimer County Courthouse, 200 W. Oak St., outside the southwest entrance, Fort Collins

Loveland Vehicle Licensing Branch, 200 Peridot Ave., Loveland

Estes Park Vehicle Licensing Branch, 1601 Brodie Ave., Estes Park

Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., Fort Collins

Colorado State University-Lory Student Center, 1101 Center Avenue Mall, Fort Collins

Red Feather Lakes Library, 71 Fire House Lane, Red Feather Lakes

Wellington Public Library, 3800 Wilson Ave., Wellington

Berthoud Community Library, 236 Welch Ave., Berthoud

Timnath Public Works Building, 4800 Goodman Road, Timnath

Grocery locations open closer to Super Tuesday:

These grocery stores will accept ballots from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 29, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 2 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 3.

King Soopers, 2602 S. Timberline Road, Fort Collins

King Soopers, 1842 N. College Ave., Fort Collins

Safeway, 2160 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins

Safeway, 1426 E. Harmony Road, Fort Collins

King Soopers, 1275 Eagle Drive, Loveland

Voter service and polling centers:

You may drop off your voted ballot, obtain a replacement ballot, change your address or register to vote at these locations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 24-28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 29, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 2 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 3:

Larimer County Courthouse, 200 W. Oak St., first floor, Fort Collins

Loveland Police & Courts Building, 810 E. 10th St., Loveland

Estes Valley Community Center, 660 Community Drive, Estes Park

CSU Durrell Center, 950 W. Plum St., Fort Collins

Front Range Community College, 4616 S. Shields St., Longs Peak Student Center, Fort Collins (open only 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 2 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 3)

This story has a clarification. The March 3 primary determines how many delegates the presidential candidates will receive at national party conventions. Colorado's caucus and assembly process will determine delegates who will choose candidates for the June 30 primary.

Rebecca Powell is a content coach at the Coloradoan. If you know of an impactful story you believe needs to be reported, send it to RebeccaPowell@coloradoan.com. We can't do the important work of keeping our community informed without you. Support the Coloradoan with a digital subscription.