[Colorado-talk] Fw: Important voting accessibility information from The Legal Center's VOTE! Program

Fri Oct 22 16:46:08 UTC 2010

Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.

LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
Denver, Colorado 80222
303 504-5979 (voice)
303 757-3640 (fax)
slabarre at labarrelaw.com (e-mail)
www.labarrelaw.com (website)

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: Faith Gross 
To: Julie Reiskin ; Julie Farrar ; Beems, Julia ; Scott La Barre ; barbara.boyer at acbco.org ; Tim Wheat ; David Bolin ; markcloer at netzero.net ; j_beaver at comcast.net ; Patricia Yeager ; Pat Going ; Cindy Powell ; rockymtnmom2 at aol.com ; Carol Meredith ; Carol Reynolds ; u2r1 at msn.com ; Linda Skaflen ; Anna Dubnikov ; sharaine.roberts at captionfirst.com ; Jennifer Pfau ; Laura Hershey ; Aileen McGinley ; Brenda Mosby ; chizwhiz at juno.com ; Claudia Folska ; dawn at atlantiscommunityinc.com ; Darla Stuart ; dnvrfox at aol.com ; David Kennedy ; Edward Neuberg ; james.tucker at africanamericanvoice.net ; Kara Nett ; Kris Bomgaars ; Kristen Castor ; Lloyd Lewis ; Lori A. Ropa, CAE ; Lorrie Kosinski ; lizolson at elpasoco.com ; lstorey at lindastorey.com ; Michele Manning ; Marijo Rymer ; Marcia.Tewell at state.co.us ; Mary Morris ; Nola Nash ; tom.muniz at denvergov.org ; V Stovall ; woodseric3 at gmail.com 
Cc: Faith Gross 
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2010 3:46 PM
Subject: Important voting accessibility information from The Legal Center's VOTE! Program

Please share this important election related information with your mail lists and memberships and remember what Justin Dart said, 

"Vote as if your life depends on it because it does!".

Thanks,

Faith Gross

VOTE! Coordinator

The Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People

455 Sherman St. #130

Denver, CO 80203

303-722-0300

800-288-1376

"Voting is the right from which all other rights spring."

Thomas Paine

This is a polling place election, with three different methods of voting: by mail-in (absentee) ballot, early voting and at a precinct, combined precinct, or vote center polling place on Election Day, November 2.

Early voting began on Monday, Oct. 18 and continues through Friday October 29.  Early voting centers are open Monday-Friday.  A handful are open on Saturday, October 23.  Hours of operation vary from county to county so it is a good idea to check  either by reviewing the election information that is required to be sent to all registered voters, or visiting your county clerk's website.  Links to the 11 largest (population) counties is at the end of this message. The last link is to the Secretary of State's Elections Division website where you can find all of the county clerks' contact information.

Because most of the counties conducted their August primary election as an all mail election, there may be some confusion about mail-in ballots for this election.

If you are on the Permanent Mail Ballot list, and have not moved since the last time that you voted, you should automatically receive a mail-in ballot.  In fact, you should have received that ballot by now.  

If you have moved since the last time you voted and did not change your address with the county clerk's office or online through the Secretary of State's website, or through a voter registration drive, your mail in ballots will not be forwarded to your current address and will be returned by the postal service to the county elections office.  If you believe that you should have received a mail-in ballot and have not received one, you should immediately contact your county clerk and recorder's elections office.

If you have not requested a mail in ballot for this election and prefer to vote that way, you have until October 26 to apply for a mail-in to be mailed to you.  If you miss that deadline, you may go in person to your county clerk's office to request and pick up a mail-in ballot.  That deadline is Friday, October 29.

All of the early voting polling places are required to have at least one accessible voting machine, as is every polling place on Election Day.  All polling places in Colorado are required, by state law, to be fully ADA compliant.

If you receive a mail-in ballot, but prefer to go to a polling place to vote on the accessible voting machine, you should do this during early voting.  You may "surrender" (turn in) your unmarked mail-in ballot and request to vote on the machine.  You do not actually have to have the ballot (in case it is lost or not received) in order to vote on the machine.  You may also request a replacement ballot at an early voting location if you have lost or not received your ballot, or made a mistake in marking it.  Any voter, with or without a disability, may vote on a voting machine.

The election judges may not ask you about your disability, or even if you have a disability.  They may ask if you would like assistance.  

If you chose to receive assistance as an accommodation for your disability, you have the right to chose the person who will assist you, as long as that person is a registered voter in Colorado and  is not your boss or a union official (if you belong to a union).  You may request assistance from one of the election judges.

Whoever is assisting you, that person may not try to influence your vote in any way.

If you have a mail-in ballot and chose to go to your polling place on Election Day, you will not be able to vote on the voting machine.  This is because they are not approved (for this purpose only) for Election Day.

If you have any questions about your voting rights, or about where to go to vote, or IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH VOTING, you can call the JUST VOTE COLORADO/ELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).  The Just Vote website is www.justvotecolorado.org.

You may also contact:

Faith Gross

VOTE! Coordinator

The Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People

455 Sherman St. #130

Denver, CO 80203

303-722-0300

800-288-1376

fgross at thelegalcenter.org

Links to some of the counties' election websites:

Adams County Elections:

http://www.co.adams.co.us/documents/page/elections/2010GenEV-VCsites.pdf

Arapahoe County Elections:

http://www.arapahoevotes.com/connect/site/index.jsp?language=English&menuItemId=377

Boulder County elections:

http://www.bouldercounty.org/clerk/elections/index.htm

Denver Elections:

http://www.denvergov.org/ForVoters/VoteEarly/tabid/430456/Default.aspx

Douglas County Elections:

http://www.douglas.co.us/clerk/elections/Voting_In_Person.html

El Paso County Elections:

http://car.elpasoco.com/Election/2010+Elections.htm    (this site includes links to ballot content in audio format)

Jefferson County Elections:

http://jeffco.us/elections/elections_T101_R103.htm

Larimer County Elections:

http://www.larimer.org/elections/vote_tab.htm

Mesa County Elections:

http://recorder.mesacounty.us/threewaystovote.aspx

Pueblo County Elections:

http://www.co.pueblo.co.us/clerk/elections/default.aspx?id=3262

Weld County Elections:

http://www.co.weld.co.us/apps/clerkrecorder/elections/early_vote_center.cfm

Secretary of State Elections Division County Clerk and Recorder Contact Information:

http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Resources/CountyElectionOffices.html