Denver Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz’s push to restrict campaign workers’ and political operatives’ gathering of absentee ballots in municipal elections failed Tuesday to get the blessing of her council colleagues.
The council General Government Committee amended that proposal out of her legislation to overhaul city election laws.
The committee members who voted to amend out Faatz’s proposal were council president Jeanne Robb and council members Carol Boigon, Carla Madison, Rick Garcia and Paul Lopez.
Joining Faatz in supporting her original language were council members Marcia Johnson and Charlie Brown.
The practice of gathering up absentee ballots by political operatives in municipal elections is widespread and makes elections vulnerable to fraud, Faatz said.
Boigon said she thinks restricting the practice puts unfair impediments to voting and ends up restricting access.
At one point she chastised Assistant City Attorney David Broadwell when he described the practice as “ballot chasing.”
“I find ‘ballot chasing’ to be a pejorative way of thinking about it,” she said. “I like the term ‘casting and delivering.’ ”
Brown later said his constituents would be shocked to learn the practice even exists.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to a reporting error, it said Councilwoman Faatz would bring to the council a bill to restrict the ability of campaign workers and political operatives to collect absentee ballots in municipal elections. Faatz will instead bring forward an amended version of her bill that does not restrict ballot-gathering and contains only noncontroversial provisions.
