Advocacy groups, lawyers, even FBI watching

By Kevin Vaughan, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 4, 2008 at 12:38 a.m.

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Plenty of eyes will be on the polls today as advocacy groups, campaigns and even the federal government watch for problems or help voters navigate the system.

The extra scrutiny comes in the waning hours of a hard-fought election and on the heels of problems two years ago in Denver and Douglas counties that saw voters standing in line late into the night - or giving up altogether.

"I think it (the scrutiny) is a result of us becoming a battleground state in a very contentious, high- profile election with all the problems that we've had since the first of the year trying to get our machines and procedures in place," said Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli.

Colorado Common Cause plans to have about 200 workers on the ground. Common Cause's Jenny Flanagan said her main concern is that voters might find problems with their registration or identification and leave a polling place without casting a ballot.

"In Colorado, all voters have a right to vote, and even as a last resort can file a provisional ballot," she said. "Nobody should turn away without voting."

Both the U.S. attorney's office and the FBI have set up phone numbers to field allegations of election fraud and other problems.

The secretary of state's office will send election officials to observe voting in Arapahoe and El Paso counties. In Arapahoe, there's concern about whether enough backup paper ballots are on hand in case voting machines break down.

In El Paso, Democrats have claimed Republican Clerk and Recorder Bob Balink has tried to suppress voting on college campuses. He has denied the charge and invited the monitor to watch his operation.

And it's not just poll watchers out in force. Both parties have lawyers standing by, ready to battle in the courtroom if necessary.

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