The Denver Election Commission – already $400,000 over budget this year – drew fire from City Council members Tuesday for presenting an inaccurate and misleading 2006 budget request.
The commission’s proposed $3 million budget is based on the assumption that the city will have two elections with polling places. Instead, commissioner and city Clerk and Recorder Wayne Vaden, appointed by the mayor, said the plan was to use voting centers, which would allow voters to cast ballots at any center in the county. It would be the first time the city has used that system.
When stunned City Council members asked why they were reviewing an inaccurate budget for next year, Vaden shifted blame to the city’s budget department, saying, “We rely on them.”
City Councilwoman Marcia Johnson responded angrily: “That is just not acceptable, sir. To get to this point … and pretend that we’re having two polling (elections)? I don’t understand how you can do that.”
The commission is an independent agency, free of oversight by the council or the mayor.
City Attorney Cole Finegan said he had “tremendous confidence” in the budget office, which will work with the commission to overhaul its budget. However, he said the commission will not receive any more money in 2006 than has already been proposed.
Noticeably absent from the meeting was Karon Hatchett, the Election Commission’s executive director, who has been accused of mismanaging the department. She was working on issues for the upcoming election and needed to be available for a hearing involving an election group, said her media relations consultant, Alton Dillard.
The three election commissioners, who are the only ones who can fire her, have expressed reservations about Hatchett’s performance at times.
City Councilman Rick Garcia said the commission would have to make the “ultimate decision” on Hatchett.
“It seems that issue is going to have to be dealt with one way or another,” he told the commissioners.
Prior to the exchange, Vaden acknowledged several problems with the election next Tuesday. The printers failed to print the Spanish-language provisional ballots, an oversight that he said has been fixed, and a clerical error in the voters guide mistakenly told voters they could vote early at the Election Commission on Saturday.
Nearly two weeks ago, the commission had to send a corrected voters guide after failing to include a statement in favor of a ballot measure. The reprint and mailing cost $43,396. Additionally, the city is considering transferring funds to make up the $400,000 the commission went over budget this year.
Staff writer Karen Crummy can be reached at 303-820-1594 or kcrummy@denverpost.com
