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Letter To Gov RE SB 155 v2
Letter To Gov RE SB 155 v2
com
El Paso
County
Citizens Service Center Suite 2201 1675 West Garden of the Gods Road Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2007 Colorado Springs, CO 80901-2007 Web Site: http://car.elpasoco.com
May17,2012 TheHonorableJohnHickenlooper GovernorsOffice 136StateCapitol Denver,CO80203(viafaxandemail) Re:RequestthesigningofHB121036(CORA/Elections) DearGovernorHickenlooper: IamwritingtoencourageyoutosignHB121036(CORA/Elections).Thisisaveryimportantpieceof legislationthatwillprotectourelectionsandhelpensuretransparencytothecitizensofColorado. Myofficetookpartinworkingtodraftthisbillbecausewebelieveinauniformandtransparentprocessfor allowingmembersofthepublictoviewvotedballots.Westronglyfeelthisbillprovidesusthebalancefor protectingavotersconstitutionallyprotectedsecretballotandallowingmembersofthepublictoview thoseballots. TherearethreekeyprovisionstothisbillthatIwouldliketopointouttoyou: 1. Itoutlinesapublicinspectionprocessforvotedballots.Thiswillallowforauniformprocessthatall countieswillfollow.Inspectionsbeforeandafterthosedateswillbemadeavailablewiththefollowing requirements: Theelectionofficialisrequiredtocoverorredactanymarkingsormessagesonaballotthat couldidentifythevoter. Inordertoprotectanonymity,ballotsforinspectionmaybepresentedinrandomorder. Thepersonseekingtheinspectionmayindicateaspecificcandidatecontest,ballotissueorballot questionforwhichthepersonseekstoinspecttheballots.ThepersonmakingtheCORArequest willbechargedactualcostsofmakingtheelectionrecordsandballotsavailableunderexisting CORAstatutes. 2. ItprovidesaCORAexemptionofaccesstotheballots45dayspriortotheelectionthroughthe certification.Thiswillshieldvoteranonymityandprovideimportantchainofcustodyprotectionofthe votedballotsthroughanyrecountprocess.Allotherexistinglawswillstillapplyincludingthereports availablethroughSCORE,auditprocess,electionjudges,canvassboards,recounts,challenges,etc. 3. ItprotectsMilitaryandOverseasVotersballots.Manyoftheseballotscometoourofficeviafaxand emailandtheseballotsareeasilytracedbacktothevoter.Whilethesevotersdosignawaiverforthe secretballot,Ibelievethatclerkshaveadutytoprotectthoseballotsfrompublicinspection.Thislaw
allowsclerkstoprotect/redactthoseballotsinordertoprotecttheprivacyofvoters.Militarymembers sacrificetheirlivestoprovideusthefreedomtocastaballotandIbelievethatweshoulddo everythingtoensuretheyreceivethesameprivacyasanyothervoter.Thisbillallowsclerksthepower towithholdorredacttheseballotsfromaCORArequest. Nooriginalballotrequestedthatmayimpactavotersrighttoprivacyissubjecttodirect inspection;however,theinformationcontainedintheballotmaybereviewedinamannerthat willconveythepublicinformationwithoutdisclosureofballotprivacy.Forexample,anoriginal militaryballotthatwasfaxedtotheClerkwouldnotbesubjecttodirectreview,buta duplicatedversionofthevotescastmaybeinspectedwithoutanypotentialtoidentifythe voter. Whilethislegislationisnotperfect,thatisthepowerofcompromisebothsidescomingtoanagreement tofindabalancethatbestservesbothsides.Compromiseisanimportantandintrinsicpieceofour countrysfounding.Compromisekeepsonesidefrombullyingtheotherintosubmissioninordertogetan extremeoutcome.Thisiswhatwehadwhenwebeganthisprocessopposingviewsthatworkedtogether tofindcommongroundforthepeopleoftheStateofColorado.Neithersideprevailed,butwhatresulted wasabipartisanpieceoflegislation. ThislegislationwassupportedbytheColoradoCountyClerksAssociation,theColoradoSecretaryofState, ColoradoMunicipalLeague,SpecialDistrictsAssociation,ColoradoAssociationofSchoolBoards,Colorado Counties,Inc.,theColoradoPressAssociation,andbothpoliticalparties.Thesearemanyorganizationsthat wouldbeconsideredstakeholdersinColoradoelectionsthatcametogethertodraftandpassapieceof legislationthatwouldbenefitthepeopleofColorado.IencourageyoutosignHB1036forthegoodof Coloradoselections. Thankyouforyourtimeandattentiononthismatter. Verytrulyyours, WayneW.Williams ElPasoCountyClerk&Recorder