COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The 2011 election is drawing near, and some are calling this election the most important in Colorado Springs' history. But not everyone will be getting a ballot in the mail.
Voters in the upcoming election will determine who is sitting in seven of the nine city council seats and in the city's first strong mayor seat.
This election is mail-in only, but only those who are considered "active voters" will be receiving a ballot in the mail.
An active voter is considered anyone who voted in the 2010 November election.
"If you did not vote in November, and you did not return the continuation card that the county had sent out last part of December into the early part of this year, in fact I think they're still getting them and still may be sending them out, but if you did not return that card then your status for voting went to inactive status," Kathryn Young, City Clerk said.
Fewer people voted in last years elections, which has some concerned that not every voter's voice will be heard.
"2008 I think was a record number of voters that registered and actually participated in the process, and 2010 is an off election year, and people, they're just not that interested, so the voting rolls went down as a result of that, and it's very evident in the numbers that we have and that are showing right now for our active registered voters," Young said.
It is an issue that has some so concerned, they're teaming up with their competitors to get the word out.
The Gazette and the Colorado Springs Independent often don't see eye to eye, but there is one issue they do agree on: the upcoming election.
"We're facing what is arguably the most important decision for this city in its history," Steven Pope, President and Publisher at The Gazette, said. "The change of the way that we do our government has caused us to go out and look for a new mayor. The strong mayor will not be successful unless we have the right person in that job, and that person needs to represent all of the voters in the city, actually all of the citizens whether they vote or not."
The two newspapers joined together to urge city council to change the voting process and to ask the city clerk to mail ballots to all registered voters, not just the so called active ones.
"No matter what the issue, all voters should have a right to get into it, and especially in a situation like this where it's such a critical vote," Pope said. "We believe that the city ought to go out of its way to provide the easy voting solution to as many people as possible."
But the city clerk said using another election year, such as the record 2008 presidential election, goes against the law.
"Those records are not valid for the 2011 election because we have to go with those voters that the county clerk and recorder, who is the official registrar, says is on the rolls," Young said. "We can't just make up who we want to send out our ballots to."
Pope said he hopes the citizens of Colorado Springs take matters into their own hands.
"Once we've made our opinion known, and hopefully once we've encouraged citizens in the city to call their particular representatives and encourage them to change their plans, it's pretty much out of our hands," Pope said. "It has to come before city council. They're the ones that will take the responsibility for either doing it right or for doing it wrong, and unfortunately if they do it wrong we'll pay the consequences."
The pressure is now put back on the voters to be proactive and make sure their voice is heard.
"If they don't get a ballot that doesn't mean they can't vote," Ralph Routon, Executive Editor with the Colorado Springs Independent, said. "They need to activate their status and get in touch with the city clerk's office and go from there."
Young said voters can check their status on the county's website, and those that don't receive a ballot by March 25 should call her office.
It is a process that some may find to be a pain, but one that The Gazette and the Colorado Springs Independent said is worth it.
"It's a one-time event. We've gotta get it right this time, and that's why it's so important," Pope said.
Ballots will be mailed March 16, and active voters should receive a ballot by March 25.
Ballots are due back April 5 by 7 p.m.
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