Hi Margit, all,
We are running Just Vote! Colorado Election Protection this year, including during the primary. www.justvotecolorado.org We have the toll free number up and running 866-OUR-VOTE.
Poll watchers can observe all aspects of the voting process, but have to be designated by a campaign (issue or candidate). “Any political party, candidate, or proponents or opponents of a ballot issue entitled to have watchers at polling places shall each have the right to maintain one watcher in the office of the designated election official and mail-in polling places during the period in which mail-in ballots may be applied for or received.”
You are correct, people can now collect and return up to 10 ballots for other voters. I haven’t heard many concerns raised by this new change (other than what you mention here) but will also monitor this new law to protect against abuses. The Secretary can pass emergency rules, but I don’t think we’d see any changes now since the Primary is underway. We might also survey some county clerks to see how they address the issue. We did not oppose this change when it was passed in the legislature, but would be open to some kind of tracking system.
Thank you for all your work in keeping elections secure and accurate – Happy Primary,
Jenny
From: Margit Johansson [mailto:margitjo@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 2:48 PM
To: Jenny Flanagan; Elena Nunez
Cc: Harvie Branscomb; Mary Eberle; Dave Larson; Angie Layton; joseph richey; Alison Maynard; Marilyn R Marks
Subject: election protection for Primary?
Hi Jenny and Elena,
I'm not clear about whether you are sponsoring election protection activities for the Primary.or just in November.
I believe watchers are allowed with "mail-in polling places", but I just have the 2009 Statutes (1-8-109).
Does the SOS ever issue emergency Rules?
Third parties, as you know, are now allowed to deliver ten ballots, twice what the limit used to be. But, what with drop-off sites, that limit isn't enforceable. Do you think the SOS would wish to do the following?
What if there were some way to get people dropping off more than their own ballot to sign in and say how many ballots they were dropping off? There could be a form that people overseeing the drop off points asked drop-offers to fill out with name and no. of ballots (and names of people whose ballots were dropped off?) And, it being outside and all, could the drop off places be videoed, should volunteers be found to video? If it were done extensively, or even maybe just with photos, we could get people going from drop-off site to drop-off site. What a mess mail ballots are!
My documented example of people taking advantage of that third-party delivery statute is the video with Alison Maynard about developers interfering with two elections in Castle Rock in 1998 and 1999: "Mail Ballots and Dirty Tricks..." posted on Denver Open Media. I'm wondering if big money will be using the third party delivery statute to make mischief. If I hear that someone has hired Rick Reiter to help with a campaign, my suspicions will be heightened, as he was the one who worked for the developers in Castle Rock, and as of 2008 was still going strong.
Cheers,
Margit
Margit Johansson, CFVI
303-442-1668/ margitjo@xxxxxxxxx
.