August 29, 2013 11:42 AM UTC

"Labradoodle" recall election: Voters 3, Vote Suppressors 0

• 1 Comments
• by: kwtree

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Back in court again Thursday August 29, for more recall election challenges, , Judge McGahey was having "the most fun I've had since being a judge." He called the recall election a "Labradoodle", meaning a hybrid of a traditional polling place and the new all mail-ballot election mandated by HB1303. 

Challenges which were heard today:

1. Libertarians were challenging the secrecy of emergency ballots emailed back to elections clerks. These are used in an "extremely limited context", according to Judge McGahey, and were ruled as allowable.   However,per the judges guidance,  and per the rules of our great Pueblo County Clerk Ortiz, anyone in Senate District 3 now may request a "no excuses" absentee ballot to vote in the recall election. In other words, if you want to vote by mail in Pueblo, and are willing to download the form and drop it off, you may. You don't have to provide a reason for your request.  Contact your county clerk  for more information.

2. Rebecca Mizel, Pueblo County Republican Chairwoman, and our partisan Secretary of State Scott Gessler, challenged those yellow ID cards voters have been getting as voting ID.  The basis of the challenge was that they may not require signatures, when presented, allowing for "express voting". Gilbert Ortiz, Pueblo County Clerk, said that there was never intent to bypass the signature requirement. Per the Secretary of State's website, "(g) A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector" is allowable ID to vote. Ms. Mizel's challenge was not upheld.

3. Judge McGayhey ruled that County Clerks may set their own rules, that Pueblo and El Paso do not have to have identical rules, and that he is "not going to micromanage this election." Therefore, in Pueblo, by Clerk Ortiz' rule, early voting will begin Friday, August 30, at the Election Office at 720 N. Main St, during business hours. Other voting locations will be open September 5 – 10.

Sources: Twitter feeds of https://twitter.com/APkristenwyatt, https://twitter.com/CapitolSchrader