With the advent of all-mail balloting, political strategies are changing. “Get out the vote” strategies are morphing into “Go Get the Vote” logistical efforts.
But don’t expect “voting parties” to become mainstream political fare anytime soon.
Using the Colorado Open Records Act, CompleteColorado.com has obtained emails from the Douglas County Clerk and Recorder’s office showing that the 18th Judicial District intervened in one such potential “vote in” party scheduled for Wednesday, October 16th.
Supporters of the union-backed board of education candidates in Douglas County rented space at the “Wildlife Experience,” and posted an invitation on Facebook (see screenshot) which said, “Check your mail and bring your mail-in ballot with you to join us for a public group ‘Vote In” at 7pm, right after the 5:30pm screening of The Reformers Movie.
Bart Dorscheid, an investigator for the 18th Judicial District, emailed both the Secretary of State’s office and the Douglas County Clerk and Recorder’s office early on the morning of October 16th saying:
I contacted Stephen Catterall (303-XXX-XXXX) with the Douglas Families organization. His information was given to me by the Wildlife Experience as the person who rented the venue. I told him why I was calling him and advised him of 1-13-712 (Disclosing or identifying Vote) and 1-7.5-107(4) (b) (Delivery of ballots/not more than 10). I emailed (douglasfamilies@gmail.com) copies of the law and SoS rules 7.5.7 and 7.5.8 that deal with delivery of ballots to him also. He sent back a reply that he received my email.
Catterall told me the event was mainly a viewing of the movie. Hopefully this will insure these laws are not violated tonight.
“There was nothing there that was facially a violation of the law, but I think the conclusion we came to is, I don’t think people know all of the election laws as a matter of course,” District Attorney George Brauchler told Complete Colorado. “It’s not like a red light or a stop sign. These are [legal issues] that can become more complicated.”
Spokewsoman for the 18th Judicial District Lisa Pinto said by rule, the district does not offer legal advice, and that Dorscheid simply made potential participants aware of the statute.
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