My letter to editor in the Colorado Springs Gazette:

Gazette link
March 11, 2008 - 11:21PM

VOTER REGISTRATIONS

Clerk's office dropped ball on central responsibility

This is a response to Sandra Parcher's letter regarding El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Bob Balink's offices ("Clerk's mistake highlights holes in system," March 4). Parcher was not alone in being disenfranchised by the mistakes of the County Clerk's office. Following the Democratic caucuses there was an estimated excess of 100 or so individuals who were elected as delegates/alternates, but whose credentials were later challenged because of registration issues. They were challenged as either Unaffiliated, Republican, not in correct precinct or not registered at all.

At the caucus, each of these individuals insisted they were registered properly, then signed a legal affidavit insisting on being a qualified voter. When the Democratic Party subsequently contacted them about their credentials being challenged, many were surprised or profusely disagreed. Some actually did go down as suggested to the county office, seeking to produce the original paperwork and receive a certificate for proper status. Some were able to prove their registration and were given credentials. Many others did not. Yes, some voters were mistaken about their registration status, but that was the exception, not the rule.

In the future, the Democratic Party leadership will be even more vigilant regarding Balink's office. Isn't it curious that basic issues remain for real citizens to register with Balink's office, where he ironically has been focused on the phantom issue regarding the potential of a non-citizen registering? How many resources did Balink use conducting some biased survey on registration instead of using taxpayer resources making certain his voter registration system was in order?

Bob and Sue Nemanich, Colorado Springs

Here is a response....interesting the same problems were in the GOP also!

kcp123 wrote:

Bob and Sue Nemanich, you make it sound like the screwed up credentials were only in the Democrats' caucuses. I was in a Republican caucus, and our precinct was thoroughly messed up, too.