DENVER—Election officials in two of Colorado’s largest counties are approving voter registration forms despite a rule by the secretary of state’s office that the applications should be disqualified.
Officials in Jefferson and Larimer counties said Friday that they’re accepting forms on which applicants didn’t check a box because they believe other laws give the voter the benefit of the doubt.
That sets up a potential showdown with a rule by Secretary of State Mike Coffman, whose office has been criticized for purging more than 2,000 voters with multiple registrations.
The latest controversy centers on the part of the state voter application that asks for a drivers license number or state identification. Those who don’t have the ID are supposed to check a small box and provide at least the last four digits of their Social Security number.
At least 6,400 voters statewide wrote down their numbers but didn’t check the box.
Last year, Coffman’s office approved a rule directing county clerks to list the application as incomplete if the box wasn’t checked. If applicants don’t return another form after they’re contacted by the clerk, their names won’t make the poll book and they can cast only a provision ballot on Election Day.
Provisional ballots require additional ID to be accepted and are counted after the election.
Jefferson County Deputy of Elections Josh Liss and Larimer County Clerk Scott Doyle said they have been accepting forms without the box checked but flagging them as “ID required.” The voter must show ID at the polls and then may cast a regular ballot.
Doyle said it’s not his intent to break the law, but believes there are conflicting laws and rules.
” I feel as though I have to weigh in on the side of the voter,” said Doyle, who consulted the county attorney.
“There are conflicts in the statute and in the rules that give voters the benefit of the doubt and tell us to proceed exactly as we are,” Liss said.
In Denver, however, elections director Michael Scarpello said he found no way around Coffman’s rule. Denver received more than 4,400 applications without the box checked and contacted the applicants. About 1,800 of the incomplete forms haven’t been resolved.
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Information from: Rocky Mountain News,
