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THREAD: Colorado’s vote by mail for all system is regularly held up as the gold standard of elections.
Indeed, for the vast majority of voters, it’s convenient and secure.
However ...
Indeed, for the vast majority of voters, it’s convenient and secure.
However ...
We examined four elections, the last two general (2016 and 2018) and last two primaries (both this year).
What we found was more than 100,000 rejected ballots. Enough uncounted votes to fill Mile High, Pepsi Center and have 5,000 in the parking lot.
What we found was more than 100,000 rejected ballots. Enough uncounted votes to fill Mile High, Pepsi Center and have 5,000 in the parking lot.
The single most common reason was a signature on a ballot envelope that didn’t match what was on file.
In an all mail system, voting is taking place outside the view of a poll worker.
Matching signatures is a difficult task. But elections officials told me it was the best way to verify that the voter is who they say they are.
Matching signatures is a difficult task. But elections officials told me it was the best way to verify that the voter is who they say they are.
Elections officials say voters can fix a signature that doesn’t match. And they can even do it on their phone. They have until 8 days after the election to do it.
But the vast majority of people do not cure their ballot. And so thousands of votes go uncounted.
But the vast majority of people do not cure their ballot. And so thousands of votes go uncounted.
We also found big disparities. First between counties:
Adams county in the 2016 election had a ballot rejection rate that was almost 3x that of Weld County. The counties border each other.
Adams county in the 2016 election had a ballot rejection rate that was almost 3x that of Weld County. The counties border each other.
Weld and Adams have significant differences in technology, budgets, and ... demographics.
Studies have found Hispanics have much higher rates of rejected ballots. And Adams has double the Foreign-born population of Weld.
Studies have found Hispanics have much higher rates of rejected ballots. And Adams has double the Foreign-born population of Weld.
But Adams doesn’t print cure letters, informing voters that their ballot was rejected, in Spanish ... like Denver and some other counties do.
Young voters are most likely to have a ballot rejected for signature mismatch. More than 10x more likely than older voters.
Why? They have fewer signatures on file. And the top signature may be from DMV digital pad, which is difficult to match to their pen and paper signature.
Why? They have fewer signatures on file. And the top signature may be from DMV digital pad, which is difficult to match to their pen and paper signature.
Again, many do not cure their ballot.
Reynaldo Hernandez in Arapahoe County: “I checked on my phone again and everything was right. So I'm not sure what the mix-up was.”
He didn’t realize he hadn’t completed the signature fix and his first ever vote was not counted.
Reynaldo Hernandez in Arapahoe County: “I checked on my phone again and everything was right. So I'm not sure what the mix-up was.”
He didn’t realize he hadn’t completed the signature fix and his first ever vote was not counted.
There’s much more in the story. Give it a read: https://www.cpr.org/2020/10/08/colorado-vote-by-mail-ballots-rejected-signatures/
