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Coffman, Arapahoe clerk reject Perlmutter's request for polling safeguards

By Myung Oak Kim, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 24, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Secretary of State Mike Coffman and Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty have rejected a request by a congressman to stock paper ballots and post independent monitors at Election Day polling sites in that county.

Rep. Ed Perlmutter is a Democrat whose district includes Arapahoe County, one of the largest in the state. He sent a letter Tuesday to Coffman and Doty, both Republicans, asking for changes because he fears electronic voting machines could break down.

The traditional Republican stronghold has seen a shift in voters and now is majority Democrat. The county exclusively uses electronic voting machines, some without paper records.

Doty plans to provide paper ballots on Nov. 4 if voting machines malfunction or lines get too long, she said Thursday. Perlmutter wants paper ballots available at all polling sites to decrease waiting time.

"Not only would such a delay potentially turn away many would be voters, any widespread problems with the machines would paralyze the polls in Arapahoe County and disenfranchise thousands of citizens," Perlmutter wrote.

Thursday, Coffman wrote a letter to Perlmutter, saying his office has discussed potential Election Day problems with Doty and staff from the presidential campaigns and other state agencies.

He said he had a meeting with Doty last week and she is preparing a response to those concerns.

"If I find the response insufficient, I will take immediate action and order the deployment of additional resources," Coffman wrote. "I will not post an election monitor in Arapahoe County unless there are concerns submitted to my office that election laws in Arapahoe County are not being adhered to."