AURORA | With numerous amendments, referenda and candidates on November’s ballot, Colorado voters will have more choices than ever when they cast their ballots this year.

And because of those long ballots, election officials are anticipating equally long lines at polling places around Aurora and the rest of the state.

Nancy Doty, Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder, said the ballot will be two cards long. Usually it is only one card.

Doty said that because of the long lines expected at the polls, she is encouraging as many people as possible to skip the lines and vote by mail.

“We have probably twice as many people who are going to vote by mail this time,” she said.

The first mail-in ballots were sent to voters Oct. 6, according to the clerk’s office.

Arapahoe County voters can sign-up for a mail ballot at the clerk’s election website, www.arapahoevotes.com. In Adams County, voters can get a mail-in ballot from the county’s Web site, co.adams.co.us.

The ballots have to be returned to the clerk’s office or one of the designated drop off locations by no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day.

There are drop off sites around the city, with two sites in Arapahoe County and one in Adams County.

In Arapahoe County, mail-in ballots can be dropped off at Arapahoe County Clerk & Recorder, Aurora Branch, 490 S. Chambers Road. The location is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Ballots can also be dropped off at Aurora City Clerk’s Office in the Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway. The city clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In Adams County ballots can be returned to the Aurora Motor Vehicle Office, 3449 Chambers Road. The office is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

But if voters prefer to vote the traditional way and step into a booth to cast their ballot, they still have the chance to avoid long lines and cast their ballot early starting Oct. 20.

There are three early voting sites in Aurora, two in Arapahoe County and one in Adams County.

Voters can cast a ballot early at Aurora Arapahoe CentrePoint Plaza, 14980 E. Alameda Drive. The polls are open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Voter can also cast a ballot early at the Aurora Life Care Center, 14101 E. Evans Ave. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In Adams County, voters can cast a ballot early at the motor vehicle office during its regular hours.

On Election Day, voters in the Adams County side of Aurora will have three polling places open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. where they can cast a ballot, Fletcher Elementary School, 10455 E. 25th Ave, the Aurora Motor Vehicle Office on Chambers Road, and Living Tower Church, 18821 E. 22nd Place.

In the Arapahoe County side of Aurora, there are more than 100 polling places that will be open on Election Day. For a complete list, visit www.arapahoevotes.com.