E-Vote: Colorado Targets April 1 to Sort Out Election Procedures, Equipment

Last week, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. sent a letter to the state's county clerks acknowledging the difficulties facing clerks because of the state's decertification of some types of voting machines, and saying that the state is working to resolve the issues by the clerk's April 1 target date. Ritter went on to say that a bipartisan bill has been introduced requiring paper ballots in the 2008 elections. "By returning to the use of paper ballots for the 2008 elections," said Ritter in the letter, "we preserve voters' ability to choose how to vote: by mail, during early voting, or on election day at the polls. Paper ballots provide a verifiable paper trail and minimize the risk of technology failures on Election Day."

Ritter also said that H.B. 1155, which he signed last month, "enables the Secretary to consider information and procedures not available during prior testing efforts," saying that Secretary Coffman -- operating under the new law -- recertified Sequoia and ES&S direct-record equipment, and further review is planned for Hart and ES&S optical scanners.