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I am in favor of eliminating uncontested contests from primary, to avoid wasting taxpayer money. There was not a single contested candidate in the Jefferson County Democratic primary this time - what a waste of time and money! We should try to pressure legislature and clerks to adopt instant runoff voting, in exchange for agreeing to end primary, which usually occurs too late to make any difference, in CO. The largest potential source of mail ballot fraud is probably disabled nursing home patients and their low paid staff, who may be amenable to payoffs. I have not heard any credible proposals for reducing fraud in assited living centers. I have heard the going rate for BUYING a nursing home vote is $100, but do not know how accurate the figure is. Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:44:18 -0700 Subject: election bills come to committee tomorrow "upon recess" From: margitjo@xxxxxxxxx To: harvie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; angielayton@xxxxxxxx; ivan.meek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; richey80304@xxxxxxxxx; m.eberle@xxxxxxxxxxxx; clifwest@xxxxxxxxxxx; Tmmco1@xxxxxxx; ctlo@xxxxxxx; amaynard_1@xxxxxxxx; ccorry@xxxxxxxx; alkolwicz@xxxxxxxxx; jdlwcec@xxxxxxxxx; attendees@xxxxxxx; cvv-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hi All,
A couple of election bills are scheduled to come before the House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee TOMORROW AM, "UPON RECESS", i.e. when the general assembly recesses after their morning meeting, which is whenever...9AM? 9:30? You just have to go in early and hang around.
The one that seems of most concern (although I haven't read the others in detail) is HB1015, which would allow all-mail ballot elections for primaries. (See attachment.) It is fourth on the list; I don't know how much time the first three bills will take. There is always the chance they won't make it to the fourth bill.
(If you can show that mail ballot elections are not as secure because they don't have the protection of citizen oversight etc etc, then you can say that this will allow parties, if not others, to favor the candidates they prefer for their purposes. Citizen preferences for candidates could lose out to establishment candidates, for example. Right?)
I hope those who can give good specific examples of security problems with mail ballots will come forward to testify. For Dems, examples that show monied interests undermining the vote with mail ballots is probably more compelling than individual vote fraud, given that recent studies have downplayed the effect of individual fraud. For Republicans, examples of individual fraud seems to resonate, though.
I hope to see you computer experts, and election reformers all, at the hearing tomorrow AM!
Thanks so much,
Margit
Margit Johansson, CFVI
303-442-1668/ margitjo@xxxxxxxxx
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