Log In


Reset Password
Opinion Editorial Cartoons Op-Ed Editorials Letters to the Editor

Election 2014

As ballots arrive, celebrate inclusive voting practices

County clerks across Colorado put the 2014 ballots in the mail this week, signaling the kickoff of election season in earnest. The lengthy span in which Colorado voters now have to cast their ballots, in addition to the ease of doing so, should increase engagement in this critical midterm election. Whether it will remains to be seen, but Colorado’s new election practices make polling more accessible for more voters. That is a welcome change that should be emulated.

In 2013, Colorado was among 10 states that passed voting laws that expand voter access. Among the provisions the Legislature enacted was shortened residency requirements, mail ballots to all registered voters as well as early and in-person voting options. Further, the reforms have enabled county clerks and the Secretary of State’s offices to clean up rolls by cross-checking voters with other states’ databases and those of the Colorado departments of Corrections and Public Health and Environment to ensure that felons and deceased voters are not casting ballots. Same-day registration is allowed, and polling places have moved from precincts to centralized voting centers. In all and on balance, these reforms have greatly increased voter access in Colorado.

Not so for other states. In Texas, a federal judge struck down a new law requiring that voters have a government-issue photo ID, saying it violated the 14th and 24th amendments as well as the Voting Rights Act. Nevertheless, an appeals court issued a stay of that ruling, arguing that it was too close to the 2014 election to make such drastic changes. As a result, fewer minorities and low-income Texans will have access to polls in November. The U.S. Supreme Court last week upheld North Carolina’s law prohibiting same-day registration and discarding ballots cast at the wrong location. The court also upheld Ohio’s restrictions on early voting – rules that Attorney General Eric Holder has lambasted. “It is a major step backward to allow these reductions to early voting to go into effect,” Holder said. “Those state officials who seek to impose these restrictions must justify clearly, factually and empirically why they are necessary.”

Such justification does not exist. Despite worries from some Republicans that Colorado’s new laws will unleash widespread voter fraud, cooler heads from both parties see it differently. The reforms had the support of most county clerks in Colorado – Democrats and Republicans alike. La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Parker Lee, a Republican, was a vocal proponent and has been actively educating the public about the new rules. Her commitment to enfranchising voters is admirable.

There are many crucial races facing La Plata County voters in this midterm election, and many variables beyond party affiliation are at play. Educate yourself about the candidates and issues on the ballot and take advantage of the many options available for voting.



Reader Comments