Posted: October 22, 2008

Colorado Secretary of State at odds with county officials over checkbox

Colorado Secretary of State, Mike Coffman, has directed counties to force voters who did not check a box on their registration form indicating that they have no drivers' license or state ID number to vote on provisional ballots.  Jefferson County officials plan to let voters cast regular ballots and, instead, will ask voters for additional ID to resolve the matter.  See report here.  The report indicates that voters must return to the county election offices with additional documentation to have a provisional ballot counted.  While researching Colorado election law, EL@M was told by a local elections official that Colorado officials do indeed require provisional voters to return with acceptable ID.  However, Colorado law states that provisional ballots will be counted if the voter was registered and eligible to vote. CRSA 1-8.5-106. To make this determination, officials are to look at records of convicted felons, state voter registration databases, and the state department of motor vehicles database. 8 CO ADC 1505-1-26.4.4. No mention is made of having to return with ID.  EL@M is watching this situation for further developments.