An Election Watcher is an eligible voter who has been appointed by an authorized appointing entity to witness and verify the conduct of an election.

Candidates, political parties, and issue committees are eligible to appoint Election Watchers depending on the type of election. Click here to view who may appoint watchers in each type of election.

To be an Election Watcher, you must:

• Be an eligible voter in Colorado;
• Be selected by an authorized appointing entity; and
• Not be a candidate on the ballot nor an immediate family member by blood, marriage, or civil union to the second degree if watching for the candidate.

Election Watchers do not need to be a resident of a county to watch in a particular county. Please click here for Election Watcher FAQs for additional information.

Interested Election Watchers and Appointing Entities Follow These Steps: 

1. The entity appointing you as an Election Watcher must provide you with a signed Certificate of Appointment for each county and location where you intend to observe election activities. You must present the Certificate of Appointment to the County Clerk and Recorder or their designated staff member(s) and take the oath stated on the Certificate when you arrive at a location to perform your duties.
2. Familiarize yourself with both the Colorado Revised Statutes and Election Rules governing Election Watchers prior to your appointment.
3. To observe election activities where confidential and personally identifiable information may be within view, you must complete the Colorado Secretary of State online watcher training course. Click here for more information and to link to the training. Print your certificate of completion and bring it with you to each location where you will perform your duties.
4. To streamline the process at the Douglas County Elections office or Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC), please provide a copy of your current voter registration record with your Certification of Appointment. Doing so will show you are an eligible voter in Colorado. You may obtain your current voter registration record from Colorado’s online voter registration system at GoVoteColorado.gov
5. Please call or email Douglas County Watcher Contact, Laura Skirde via email [email protected] or 303-814-7653, to notify the Douglas County Elections office of the time and location you intend to serve as a Watcher.

Please Remember:

• Appointing entities must provide a Watcher with a signed Certificate of Appointment for each location where the Watcher intends to observe election activities. A new Certificate of Appointment is necessary for the Watcher to perform duties on another day.

• A Watcher must present their Certificate of Appointment and the certificate of completion for the online Colorado Secretary of State watcher training course at each location where they will perform their duties. The location will keep the Certificate of Appointment. The Watcher may retain the watcher training course certificate of completion.