An Election Gone Wrong, Right Next Door

by: KathrynCWallace

Sun Jul 24, 2011 at 09:51:47 AM MST

Surely the most mistake-ridden election in recent Colorado history has received little attention, although it is Colorado's "canary in the coal mine" of elections. A statewide grand jury report declared that numerous irregularities are routine in Colorado and therefore not subject to legal remedies. Many problematic election activities not viewed as blatantly fraudulent are deemed "substantially compliant" and therefore free from enforcement.

Do the following examples from Saguache County's November 2010 election for governor, senator and local races satisfy you as "good enough for government work"?

After a bipartisan citizens' canvass board refused to certify election results due to irregularities, the clerk unilaterally issued a certificate of election renewing her own job.

What's the point of having a canvass board if the clerk can overrule them, and in her OWN election!?

Surveillance videos of equipment operations were deleted after a reporter filed a Colorado Open Records Act request.

What good is taking the video if noone is allowed to see it?

The election night results showed that two incumbents lost. The clerk then conducted an unsanctioned new tabulation three days later that returned the incumbents to power.

The clerk destroyed most election night paper records and refuses to release electronic copies of election data, claiming they are a manufacturer's proprietary records.

The clerk mailed unsolicited ballots to selected voters for a controversial tax measure. At least four ineligible voters were permitted to vote on the tax increase. The measure unofficially passed by one vote, although the canvas board would not confirm the questionable tabulation. Taxes were increased despite the obvious uncertainty.

ONE VOTE! It's the mythological one vote election.  And the canvass board won't certify it.

When the secretary of state ordered a ballot review, the clerk refused. He then sued her and the court has yet to issue a decision. The clerk continues to refuse access by public, press and secretary of state to the records required to verify or contest the election.

I always thought the SOS had rank over the clerks.  Guess not.

The public and the press investigated the uncertain Bush/Gore ballot tallies. That will not happen in most Colorado counties where election officials are closing doors to citizen oversight.

Transparency advocates are waiting for the Court of Appeals to decide if Colorado's law on public access to anonymous ballots is as open as in other states. In the meantime, egregious election irregularities are officially "substantially compliant" in Colorado.

This is why we're still talking about it.  Because it's not over.

Contact your state officials and demand that they abandon subpar standards and shore up Colorado's election code. The nation's voters expect nothing less of Colorado.

So, Marilyn and I part company here. DON'T email anyone.  Please, even if you completely agree with this, save your keystrokes.  However, if you are a hardworking volunteer with a relationship with a State lawmaker.  It deserves a mention.

Full disclosure, Marilyn and I serve together on the Board of the Coloradans for Voter Integrity.