Colorado Kept Info From Local Election Officials After Telling 31,000 Noncitizens How To Register To Vote

Less It was less than a month prior to the November electionThe office of Colorado’s secretary of state declined to provide the names of noncitizens who received voter registration notifications by mail, according to records obtained by a watchdog group.   

The Public Interest Legal Foundation Released a report Thursday Learn more Colorado Handled sending out 31,093 notifications on how to register to vote Foreign nationals living in the State. 

The Notifications were supposed only to reach the intended recipients. Colorado Residents who are eligible to vote but have not registered should be informed how to register. 

“Communication records obtained in PILF’s investigation portray a Secretary of State’s Office more focused on damage control than answering questions posed by concerned county election officials,” The report states.

In One email exchange, one official in Moffat County, ColoradoThis article explains. Deputy Secretary Of State Christopher Beall He refused to provide additional information about the 54 foreign nationals who were issued voter registration notices in his County. 

“Deputy Secretary Beall stated in yesterday’s call that that there are potential legal issues that need to be addressed before a list of erroneous recipients in each county can be shared,” The Moffat County Official wrote in Oct. 11 email after a briefing from state officials.

Spokespersons For Colorado Secretary Of State Jena Griswold, Democrat, did no respond to an inquiry from The Daily Signal For this report. 

PreviouslyHowever, spokespersons for Griswold’s office said the mistake with voter data This was the result of a “data analytic error.” 

“The department has become aware that approximately 30,000 EBU [Eligible but Unregistered] postcard mailers were incorrectly sent to ineligible Coloradans,” A spokesperson for the Secretary Of State’s Office told Colorado Public Radio In October. 

The Postcards, printed in both English SpanishTo the recipients, he said that the contents were “A message from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.” 

“Our records indicate that you or your household may be eligible to vote, but do not appear to be registered at your current address,” The postcards were read.

It’s not clear whether any of the foreign nationals that got the voter registration notifications signed up to vote or actually voted. 

According Records obtained by the Public Interest Legal FoundationThe Colorado Secretary Of State’s Office Briefing county election officials across the State, I laid out a four-prong plan to address the issue Oct. 11. 

First, the state planned to send a second mail notification to  recipients saying that the first message was sent in error. Second, Griswold’s office built a mechanism into the state’s online voter registration portal to prevent any of the 31,093 recipients from using the system. 

Third, Griswold’s office scheduled daily comparisons between voter rolls and the state’s tax rolls, which include information on citizenship status. FourthThe office also planned daily comparisons between 31,093 foreign nationals, and the statewide voter rolls. 

“Colorado shouldn’t be sending foreign nationals voter registration information,” J. Christian AdamsPresident of the Public Interest Legal FoundationIn a public statement.

“When they do, the public should be able to see all of the records so we can hold election officials accountable.  Transparency in elections is essential,” Adams said. “This circus right before a federal election shouldn’t happen. Knowing who is to blame and what went wrong is essential to prevent a repeat.”

The foundation’s report goes on to say that no records show that the Colorado Secretary Of State’s Office Was clear about what “potential legal issues” were associated with the office’s offering voter registration materials to citizens of foreign countries. 

“One possibility is that some of the foreign citizens could have committed an election crime by registering to vote,” The report adds:

When The secretary of state of Colorado She did not disclose to county elections officials the names of foreigners she had offered to register for voter registration. This prevented law enforcement and the public from determining if foreigners actually registered to vote after being urged to do so. Colorado secretary of state

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