As the deadline for the 2021 election nears, state and local election officials are urging Denver residents to return their ballots before 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul López met outside of the Denver Elections Office Tuesday afternoon to try to inspire last-day voters.

“The foundation of a democracy is that everyday people can decide the future of our communities,” Griswold said. “You can make your voice heard and decide our shared future.”

As of noon Tuesday, 961,877 Coloradans have cast a ballot, with over 99% voting via mail or drop boxes, Griswold said. That includes 303,010 registered Democrats, 314,414 registered Republicans and 335,370 unaffiliated voters.

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That accounts for nearly 23% of registered voter in the state and 25% of active registered voters, according to state data. This is a typical turnout for off-year elections in which positions like the president and mayor aren’t on the ballot.

At this point in 2017, there were 869,000 ballots cast in Colorado and, in 2019, there were approximately 1.1 million, according to state data.

In the past decade, voter turnout has reached 40% only once during an off-year election, while even-year elections can see upwards of 80% turnout, Griswold said.

“We’re on track for a typical off-year election,” Griswold said. “We expect a lot of people to return a ballot today. Typically, 40% of ballots are returned or voted in-person on Monday or Tuesday. So, we expect those numbers to increase.”

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Voters can cast their ballots at any of the 405 drop boxes or 147 voting centers statewide, including 41 drop boxes and 11 voting centers in Denver. Visit govotecolorado.gov to find a drop box or voting center nearby.

Coloradans can also ask questions, get a new ballot or register to vote by calling 311 and selecting option eight.

Griswold and López said there have been no election issues so far. In Denver, the city is even on track to have a higher voter turnout than in 2019, López said.

“Every single election matters,” López said. “We had a flawless 2020 election and we will continue to have a flawless coordinated election today. All we have to do is show up and cast that ballot. That is protecting our democracy.”