Pueblo County Clerk Gilbert “Bo” Ortiz was back in Denver District Court Wednesday challenging a rule that bars him from using county-created identification cards as proof of voter identity in the Sept. 10 recall election for state Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo. Denver District Judge Robert McGahey said he would rule on that question and others related to the recall elections Thursday. For instance, the Libertarian Party is challenging the legality of letting voters use an “emergency” email ballot that does not protect their identity. Ortiz already has sent out the yellow voter cards to Senate District 3 voters and each has the voter’s name, address and a voter identification number. Ortiz intended them for fast “express” voting. Secretary of State Scott Gessler advised Ortiz late Tuesday those cards can’t be used as proof of identity. Gessler said Ortiz must stick to previously accepted documents for voter identification, such as a utility bill, driver’s license or passport.
Ortiz disagreed, saying the voter cards, sent to the registered voter’s address, aren’t any different than a utility bill.
“We’ve been sending ballots to those same registered voters in past elections and accepting them back,” he said.
He appealed to Denver District Judge Robert McGahey, who has overseen the recall process since ruling in early August the special elections for state Sens. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, and John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, would be polling place elections.
The voter card issue blew up Tuesday after several local Republican election judges said they were told by Ortiz’s staff the county-created cards would be accepted as proof of voter identity.
Full Article: The Pueblo Chieftain | Voter ID card before judge.