The Voting News Daily: CO Clerk Denies SoS Access to Ballots, Voter ID Bills Debated in NM & NC
CO: Secretary of state, clerks battle over Saguache ballots – The Denver Post
What started as small-town suspicions of a “stolen” election has erupted into a fight between Secretary of State Scott Gessler and the state’s county clerks over whether voted ballots should be public records — and the issue appears headed to court. Gessler announced Tuesday his staff and local election judges will conduct a public hand review of ballots from the 2010 general election in Saguache County, where the attorney general’s office already is investigating allegations of election fraud. But in a letter emailed to Gessler late Tuesday, Saguache County Clerk and Recorder Melinda Myers, whose re-election would be one of the races reviewed, indicated she wouldn’t unseal the ballots without a court order. Read More
CO: Myers denies Gessler access to Saguache ballots – Valley Courier
Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler will speak to Saguache residents tonight (Wednesday) and answer questions about concerns stemming from races overturned in November after a voting machine allegedly malfunctioned. The town hall meeting with Gessler will consist “more of questions and answers,” press officer Rich Coolidge told the Center Post-Dispatch Tuesday. The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. at the Saguache Community Center and is expected to last until 7 p.m. But Gessler, who intended to announce a hand count of contested races in Saguache Thursday and Friday, will likely tell Saguache residents instead he will not be allowed to review the ballots. Read More
NM: Voter ID: Partisanship or common sense? – WRAL.com
It was standing-room only in House Elections today for the public comment period on H351, the Voter ID proposal. There was a lot of passion, some strong words and the occasional outbreak of applause, politely squelched by Chairman David Lewis. But overall, it went pretty smoothly. Contrary to fears some Democrats had expressed, the procession of 43 speakers seemed pretty evenly divided between opponents and supporters of the proposal. It was clear both sides had done some organizing work to get their people there. Read More
NC: Voter ID bill fuels passion and questions – CharlotteObserver.com
A bill that would require photo IDs for N.C. voters was slowed down Tuesday after a long, often-passionate hearing and a wave of challenges. But the bill – which supporters call a common-sense way to ensure the integrity of elections and which critics call unneeded and “a solution in search of a problem” – could reach the House floor soon. It has wide support among Republicans, who control the General Assembly. “The purpose of this bill is simply to restore confidence in the process and not to (deny) access,” said Rep. Tim Moore, a Kings Mountain Republican. Along with GOP Rep. Ric Killian of Charlotte, Moore is one of the bill’s chief sponsors. But critics said the bill would disenfranchise many voters who don’t have a picture ID. They said the measure would affect elderly, minority and disabled voters particularly hard. Read More
NC: Voter I.D. bill heads to House next week | Triangulator
Legislation that would require North Carolina voters to show photo I.D.