Election official charged in wake of canceled vote

Javier Erik Olvera, Rocky Mountain News

Published April 29, 2006 at midnight

Text size

More Local News

The woman appointed to oversee an abruptly canceled special sales tax election in Aurora was charged Friday with violating election laws.

Sharon Works, who had no experience running an election before Arapahoe County District Court Judge Michael Spear assigned her to the post nearly two months ago, faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Works couldn't be reached for comment. She was issued a summons to appear in court on May 26.

Works is accused of not keeping a list of names of eligible voters applying for absentee ballots, the dates the applications were made, the dates the absentee ballots were sent and the dates they were returned.

Arapahoe County District Attorney Carol Chambers filed charges against Works after an investigation into 11 complaints from voters, who said they hadn't received their absentee ballots for the election that had been set for Tuesday.

The Aurora Mental Health Center, which was asking for a 0.2 percent sales tax increase, called off the election Thursday.

Election opponent Lynne Cottrell was shocked by the news of the charges against Works, and said she thinks the 62-year-old was caught off-guard when voter interest in the election ballooned.

"I think she was a victim, quite frankly," said Cottrell, former chairwoman of the Arapahoe County Republican Party. "She was in over her head."

Criticism of the way the election was being handled escalated this week when Aurora voters complained that they had to drive to Works' Thornton home to pick up an absentee ballot if they missed the deadline to request one by mail.

Although only residents of Aurora could vote, Works set up the election headquarters in the living room of her ranch-style Thornton home where a dozen people labored to send out 3,500 absentee ballots.

Earlier this week, Works said she "had no idea there would be this volume of interest" in the election. Had she known, Works said she "wouldn't have run the election from my house."

The proposed tax, which would have amounted to a penny on every $5 purchase within the city of Aurora, would have brought in an estimated $8 million that would be used to offer psychiatric services to roughly 2,000 people who lack medical insurance.

Efforts to block the election mushroomed amid allegations that AMHC intentionally tried to hold down voter turnout by, among other things, sending out election mailers only to likely tax supporters.

The fact that four of the six polling places were in AMHC facilities provided more ammunition for opponents.

Spear signed an order canceling the election at the request of the AMHC's board, which was concerned the controversy had overshadowed their goal of providing services to the uninsured.

AMHC, with help from the city of Aurora, will begin forming a committee to discuss whether the sales tax proposal should be put before voters during a future election.

AMHC officials did not return phone calls Friday seeking comment.

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News