Colorado Secretary of State’s Office - PowerPoint Presentation

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

?

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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?

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Questions?