5 election myths in Colorado and the truth, according to experts
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Colorado election officials are taking the offensive to battle misinformation in the 2022 midterm, opening phone lines to any and all questions and repeatedly debunking conspiracy theories online.
Threat level: The election doubts — mostly spread by election deniers and supporters of former President Trump — are proliferating and raising fears about disruptions ahead of the Nov. 8 election.
What they're saying: "I want to provide information so they have confidence in our process — because they should," Eagle County Clerk and Recorder Regina O'Brien tells us.
- But she adds: "It feels as much as you try to answer all those questions, you can't get to them all in a reasonable amount of time."
What to know: Colorado county clerks encourage anyone with questions to contact them. And in a recent briefing, they debunked the most popular misconceptions circulating online.
1. If you mismark your ballot, it ensures a hand-count. False.
- Between the lines: The notion is spread by those who don't trust machines to count ballots, but it may backfire.
Reality check: Ballots that are "fouled" by random markings go to a bipartisan team of election judges to determine how the voter intended to fill in their ballot. But once decided, the ballot is counted through the same electronic tabulation equipment.
- If election judges can't determine a voter's intent, the vote may not count at all.
2. Put an identifying mark on the ballot to verify it was counted correctly. It won't work.
Reality check: The idea that voters can check ballot images to verify their vote is a misnomer. Any identifying mark, such as a name or initials, would get redacted to protect a voter's anonymity.
3. Drop boxes for mail ballots are not safe. Not true.
Reality check: Ballot drop boxes are watched with 24-hour video surveillance and don't need additional monitoring. No evidence of ballot box tampering in Colorado has emerged in past elections.
- Moreover, a new law bans the open carry of firearms within 100 feet of a drop box.
4. You can only return your ballot. Nope, but there are limits
Reality check: Colorado law allows voters to return their ballot and nine others, but no more. This typically applies to political groups that are working to turn out their supporters.
- Of note: Pam Anderson, the Republican candidate for secretary of state, wants to reduce the number of ballots one person can return because she considers it a security liability.
5. Vote late on Election Day to avoid tampering. This is not based in fact.
Reality check: A misconception spreading online suggests voting after 3pm on Election Day is safer. But in reality it may only create longer lines and increase the time to know the election results.
- Voting centers are open to in-person voting starting Oct. 24.
- Election officials in at least 16 counties said they plan to stop counting by midnight Nov. 9 and resume in the morning. So any late deluge of ballots may mean we don't know the results as soon as we'd like.
- Of note: If you are in line at a polling location at 7pm when polls close, you will still be allowed to vote.
Related: How to vote in Colorado: Answers to common questions