Re: [LPCO] Elections Alert: Watchdog says five days isn't enough time

[Evan Daniel Ravitz <evan@xxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, 24 Dec 2005, Mary Eberle wrote:

> No, I respectfully disagree. We CAN wait on the RFP. If we hand count, we 
> don't need to buy this equipment. We can go immediately to the process of 
> defining how a hand count would occur for Boulder County.

Note that Colorado law says how hand counts are done: (from 
Findlaw.com)

1-7-307. Method of counting paper ballots.
Statute text

(1) The election judges shall first count the number of ballots in the 
box. If the ballots are found to exceed the number of names entered on 
each of the pollbooks, the election judges shall then examine the 
official endorsements. If, in the unanimous opinion of the judges, any 
of the ballots in excess of the number on the pollbooks are deemed not 
to bear the proper official endorsement, they shall be put into a 
separate pile and into a separate record, and a return of the votes in 
those ballots shall be made under the heading "excess ballots". When 
the ballots and the pollbooks agree, the judges shall proceed to count 
the votes.

(2) Each ballot shall be read and counted separately. Every name and 
all names of joint candidates separately marked as voted for on the 
ballot shall be read and an entry made on each of two accounting forms 
before any other ballot is counted. The entire number of ballots, 
excepting "excess ballots", shall be read, counted, and placed on the 
accounting forms in like manner. When all of the ballots, except 
"excess ballots", have been counted, the election judges shall post 
the votes from the accounting forms.

(3) When all the votes have been read and counted, the ballots shall 
be returned to the ballot box, the opening shall be carefully sealed, 
and the election judges shall place their initials on the seal. The 
cover shall then be locked and the ballot box delivered to the 
designated election official, as provided in section 1-7-701.

(4) All persons, except election judges and watchers, shall be 
excluded from the place where the ballot counting is being held until 
the count has been completed.
History

Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 741,  9, effective January 1, 
1993. L. 93: (1) amended, p. 1421,  75, effective July 1.



---------------------------------------------------------
Evan Ravitz          303 440 6838           evan@xxxxxxxx
Vote to Ratify the National Initiative at http://Vote.org
Photo Adventures:                         http://Vote.org/photos
Sins of the father Bush                   http://Vote.org/silence
Reap the Whirlwind                        http://Vote.org/wind

         "Crime does not pay...as well as politics."
              -MAD Magazine's Alfred E Newman