Judd Choate State Election Director Signature Verification for Petitions July 8 2016 Constititional Basis for Initiative Petition Review Constitutional Provisions 1876 Article 5 Section 1 Provides for citizen initiative process ID: 618565
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Colorado Secretary of State’s Office" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
Colorado Secretary of State’s OfficeJudd Choate, State Election Director
Signature Verification for PetitionsJuly 8, 2016Slide2
Constititional Basis for Initiative Petition Review
Constitutional Provisions (1876)Article 5, Section 1 – Provides for citizen initiative process Article 5, Section 1(6) – Affidavit from circulator is evidence that the signatures are genuine.
2Slide3
Statutory Basis for Initiative Petition Review
Statutory Provisions (modern era of petition review)1-40-116 C.R.S. – Secretary must review each voter entry to determine if the person is registered to vote.1-40-116(2) C.R.S. – “…Secretary shall examine each name and signature on the petition … [and] assure that the information…was written by the person making the signature.”
1-40-116(3) C.R.S. – “…Secretary shall not count the signature of any person whose information is not complete or not completed by the elector…”
1-40-116(4) C.R.S. – SOS does a 5% review,
then
line-by-line.
3Slide4
Candidate PetitionsStatutory Provisions
1-4-908 C.R.S. – Secretary must review all candidate petitions and compare each entry to the voter’s file in SCORE.
4Slide5
Recall PetitionsConstitutional Provision
Article 21, Section 2 – “All petitions shall be deemed and held to be sufficient if they appear to be signed by the requisite number of signers, and such signers shall be deemed and held to be registered electors, unless a protest … is filed.” Statutory Provisions1-12-108(8)(a) C.R.S. – Secretary must “review all petition information and verify the information against the registration records.”
5Slide6
Secretary of State’s Review Process
StepsCheck circulator affidavits for completeness and accuracyCandidate petition – registered, affiliated, and within the districtInitiative petition – signed same day as notary
Find the signer in SCORE
Compare the signer’s name and address to SCORE to determine whether the signer is eligible to sign the petition.
Calculate whether the petition contains enough qualified signatures for the ballot.
6Slide7
Recent Developments2013 – Petition circulator in the petition to recall John Morse found guilty of forging petition signatures.
2015 – Candidate Corrie Houck found guilty of forging petition signatures. 2016 – Petition circulator for U.S. Senate Candidate John Keyser charged with forging petition signatures.2016 – Recall petition circulator in Castle Rock investigated for forged signatures but exonerated.
7Slide8
OptionsStatus Quo
Secretary has instituted policies to catch consistent fraudIDS has heightened awareness of possible fraudThe SOS is investigating improved training for review teameSign
Improved data on when and where signatures are gathered
Signature Verification
Compare signer’s signature with the signature on file in SCORE
Discussion of how it works
8Slide9
Implementation ConsiderationsTime
Initiatives – 30 days to complete 5% review and a line-by-line Candidates – SOS (and counties) has until ballot certification (25 days)Protest window of 5 days – so actually only 20 daysRecall – 15 business days
People
Training
Equipment for Signature Review
Circulator provides voter ID number?
eSign
?
9Slide10
Implementation (cont.)V. Election Calendar (what can be moved?)
Timing of Petition Deadlines and Caucus/Assembly ProcessVI. Constitutional Conflicts90 days for initiativeRecall provision says “deemed valid”VII. Opportunity
to Cure?
VIII. Alter
5% Review and 10% Margin?
10Slide11
11
Questions?