For the second time since the 2024 presidential election, the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Office has activated the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management to assist in securing the November general election.

El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Steve Schleiker said the move is in response to potential threats and helps coordinate law enforcement, public health officials and the media to keep the election safe. In 2024, he said the activation of partner agencies helped his office manage blizzard conditions on Election Day, keeping roads open to polling centers and escorting judges to speed the tabulation of results.

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This year, he said planners were putting together contingencies for different scenarios in a confidential process. Among the new concerns this year is the threat of disinformation facilitated by artificial intelligence spreading false rumors about the safety of polling sites.

“A risk that we’ve seen this year that we’ve never seen before is AI and bots,” he said.

While Schleiker said his office has fielded concerns from citizens about the possible presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at polling sites, he said his office and local law enforcement agencies “have not heard a word” about any planned presence.

Schleiker added that the presence of the federal agency at polling centers would be a violation of U.S. law. Department of Homeland Security officials have said there are no plans to deploy officers to the polls.

Ballots are being mailed Monday to voters in El Paso County. The Clerk and Recorder’s Office predicts that the county will have more polling centers and registered voters than ever this year.

The number of registered voters in the county is hovering around 500,000. Schleiker said he expected that number to increase by 25,000 by Election Day on Nov. 3.

“It’s the most in the state,” he said.

In response, the county is opening more Voter Service and Polling Centers — 41 in total. Voters can receive replacement ballots, register to vote and receive accessibility assistance at the centers, which will open in three phases starting Oct. 19. The county is also opening more 24-hour ballot drop boxes. Voters can find the nearest location by reading the ballot instructions insert included with their ballot or checking their ZIP code at the county’s Voter Information Portal.

The vast majority of voters — over 90% — choose to use ballot drop boxes, Schleiker said. More information about ballot box security can be found at the clerk and recorder’s website, including security camera footage of every location.

For voters returning their ballots via the U.S. Postal Service, Schleiker recommended mailing them back no later than Oct. 26 to ensure the vote is counted. Even if a ballot is postmarked before Election Day, it must be received on time to be counted.

The ballot itself, despite a plethora of candidates and issues, won’t be multipage. Schleiker said voters can expect to receive one front-and-back ballot page in their mailed packet.

The Clerk and Recorder’s Office has two ways to reach out with questions or concerns about the election. People can call the Elections Department at 719-575-8683 or email [email protected].