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Coffman was in Montrose Thursday meeting with county officials and County
Clerk Francine Tipton-Long to coordinate the correction of county election
deficiencies.
"I'm confident the issues will be resolved," said Coffman in an hour-long
meeting with the Daily Press' editorial board. "I'm impressed with her (Ms.
Long) leadership." (As a side note, the other counties on the EWL also have
newly-elected county clerks. Coffman, too, was elected to his current office
in 2006; he was previously the state's treasurer and has served in the
Legislature.)
There has been notable progress in the county clerk's office. To wit:
* 1. A citizen task force came together quickly. They worked earnestly to
develop a report of what happened and formed guidelines for the next
elections. Those goals included timely election results, 100 percent
accuracy, additional training for precinct judges and volunteers,
establishment of Election Day troubleshooting with a backup plan and
technical expertise if balloting goes awry.
* 2. Ms. Long has not only been receptive to recommendations and
criticisms, but has shown initiative in attempting to correct the problems,
even though the election debacle did not occur on her watch. Thursday, Ms.
Long took it a step further by inviting the local election task force to
stay on in an advisory role and review future balloting.
* 3. In February, Coffman's office released a report that was highly
critical of Montrose County's election and a subsequent investigation. To
their credit, all three county commissioners - Allan Belt, Gary Ellis, Bill
Patterson - have been receptive to both the task force recommendation and
the secretary of state reports. They've outlined time and again their
support for remedies. Coffman praised the commissioners and Ms. Long
Thursday for their cooperative leadership.
Coffman also attested the three positives from November's election: there
was no fraud, no criminal conduct, and the results were not in jeopardy. Yet
being placed on a "watch list" is no accolade. Remediation includes the
utilization of election observers, monitoring by the secretary of state's
staff and further training, among other corrections.
Coffman's visit and affirmation of the initiatives already made by Ms. Long
sets a positive tone for future elections. "The final test of what we're
doing today," Coffman added, "will come in the 2008 election."
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<P DIR=3DLTR><B><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT SIZE=3D5 =
FACE=3D"Arial">Notable progress in clerk’s =
office</FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Arial">March 16, 2007</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><BR>
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial">Daily Press Editorial<BR>
<BR>
There’s a shopworn chestnut about airline =
safety.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Symbol">·</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Arial"> Q: What’s the safest =
airline?</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Symbol">·</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Arial"> A: The one with the most recent crash.<BR>
<BR>
We’re borrowing that line from Colorado Secretary of State Mike =
Coffman who used it to illustrate a point regarding Montrose =
County’s November election. From that train wreck last year, the =
county may emerge as having the best election practices in the state in =
the future. Earlier this week Coffman named Montrose County to his =
office’s Election Watch List for counties that had problems in =
2006 voting. (Other counties: Denver, Douglas, Pueblo.) =
</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><BR>
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial">Coffman was in Montrose Thursday meeting with =
county officials and County Clerk Francine Tipton-Long to coordinate the =
correction of county election deficiencies.<BR>
<BR>
“I’m confident the issues will be resolved,” said =
Coffman in an hour-long meeting with the Daily Press’ editorial =
board. “I’m impressed with her (Ms. Long) leadership.” =
(As a side note, the other counties on the EWL also have newly-elected =
county clerks. Coffman, too, was elected to his current office in 2006; =
he was previously the state’s treasurer and has served in the =
Legislature.)<BR>
<BR>
There has been notable progress in the county clerk’s office. To =
wit:</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Symbol">·</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Arial"> 1. A citizen task force came together quickly. =
They worked earnestly to develop a report of what happened and formed =
guidelines for the next elections. Those goals included timely election =
results, 100 percent accuracy, additional training for precinct judges =
and volunteers, establishment of Election Day troubleshooting with a =
backup plan and technical expertise if balloting goes =
awry.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Symbol">·</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Arial"> 2. Ms. Long has not only been receptive to =
recommendations and criticisms, but has shown initiative in attempting =
to correct the problems, even though the election debacle did not occur =
on her watch. Thursday, Ms. Long took it a step further by inviting the =
local election task force to stay on in an advisory role and review =
future balloting.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Symbol">·</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
FACE=3D"Arial"> 3. In February, Coffman’s office released a =
report that was highly critical of Montrose County’s election and =
a subsequent investigation. To their credit, all three county =
commissioners - Allan Belt, Gary Ellis, Bill Patterson - have been =
receptive to both the task force recommendation and the secretary of =
state reports. They’ve outlined time and again their support for =
remedies. Coffman praised the commissioners and Ms. Long Thursday for =
their cooperative leadership.<BR>
<BR>
Coffman also attested the three positives from November’s =
election: there was no fraud, no criminal conduct, and the results were =
not in jeopardy. Yet being placed on a “watch list” is no =
accolade. Remediation includes the utilization of election observers, =
monitoring by the secretary of state’s staff and further training, =
among other corrections.<BR>
<BR>
Coffman’s visit and affirmation of the initiatives already made by =
Ms. Long sets a positive tone for future elections. “The final =
test of what we’re doing today,” Coffman added, “will =
come in the 2008 election.”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>
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