Prosecutors are reviewing whether a Denver police detective running for City Council violated state law by including 61-cent stamps on door hangings that potential voters could use for the all-mail election.
John Haney maintains that the 2,000 stamps he provided in his campaign literature were legal, but others are disputing the tactic.
The office of the Denver clerk and recorder advised Haney to seek legal advice before providing the stamps to voters and told him he could be opening himself up to a legal challenge, said Nancy Reubert, a spokeswoman for the office.
She said the office later alerted Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey’s office.
Lynn Kimbrough, Morrissey’s spokeswoman, said the matter has been forwarded to the Jefferson County district attorney’s office for review because people working in the Denver district attorney’s office have conflicts of interest. She said some made contributions to Haney’s campaign. Morrissey is supporting one of Haney’s opponents in the council race, state Sen. Paula Sandoval.
Colorado law states it is unlawful to offer “any valuable consideration” to encourage an individual to vote at any election. State law also specifies that voters “must provide postage” when returning their ballot by mail.
Haney, in an interview, said he had two lawyers advise him that the stamps he provided voters were legal. He declined to give the names of the lawyers because he said they wanted to remain confidential. He said he gave the stamps to encourage residents to vote in the special all-mail-ballot election May 4.
“It’s the same thing as transporting them to the polls,” Haney said. “It’s not for them to vote for me. It’s just for them to vote.”
Haney is one of 10 candidates running to fill the vacant District 1 seat.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
