County commissioner candidates, along with the Montezuma County Democrat and Republican chairs, met Thursday at the Montezuma County Clerk’s Office to test the accuracy of ballot processing for the November election.
Kim Percell, the Montezuma County Clerk, tests the ballot reading process before each election and invites local party leaders and candidates to participate.
“We check to see if ballots have been tabulated correctly throughout the machine and make sure our machine counts every circle,” Percell said.
Each in-person voting center will have the machines candidates and party chairs tested.
With many specific issues on the ballot, such as the restoration of gray wolves and the national popular vote, the 2020 ballot is 18 inches long. Normally, the ballot is 11 inches long.
Percell said in-person voting centers will follow social distancing guidelines, including allowing no more than five voters in every room and keeping lines outside.
A Spanish and Ute interpreter will be available at voting centers, along with audio voting machines for people that can’t read or see well.
Mail-in votingMail-in ballot processing has a different count system.
A bipartisan team opens the envelopes, scans ballots to let voters know their ballots have been received and verifies signatures, Percell said.
Colorado has had mail-in voting for seven years, but recent misleading statements from President Donald Trump about the unreliability of the mail-in process has increased the number of questions the clerk’s office has been getting about when and how to return ballots.
Mary Dodd, chair of the Montezuma County Democrats, said she has received questions about whether she has confidence in election safety.
“Our elections are run by trustworthy, professional staff,” Dodd said.
Percell recommends that voters drop off their ballots at the clerk’s office if they can.
Voters should not mail ballots past Oct. 26 if they want them to be counted, she said.
Drop box locations for ballots include:
Alley next to the Montezuma County Clerk’s Office, 140 W Main St in CortezUte Mountain Ute Tribal Office Complex, 124 Mike Wash Road in CortezCortez City Hall, 123 E Roger Smith AveMancos Town Hall, 117 N Main StDolores Town Hall, 420 Central Avenueehayes@the-journal.com
