Watcher Reports: Boulder County 2012 Election

We, the multi-partisan 2012 General Election Canvass Board, are sworn, and determined, to serve and protect all Electors equally, without regard of party affiliation (yours, ours, mine, or the Clerk's). It is for your protection that we, as established under Colorado statute, even exist.

NOTES:

  1. LAST UPDATE: 08 DECEMBER 2012
  2. Check this webpage often for new additions.
  3. For Download, Right-click on any of the "LINK TARGET" further below to select it, and then (only) left-click on "Save Linked Content as" - or whatever phrase seems equivalent for your web browser.
  4. All .pdf files are not directly human readable and require Adobe Acrobat. You must have the Acrobat Reader installed on your computer (most already do) to view .pdf files. Some web browsers can view .pdf files directly.
  5. Most Electors are unaware of the huge numbers of Boulder County Mail Ballots sent to foreign countries.
  6. The Reports below are multi-partisan and are being made public because the 2012 Boulder County General Election belongs to all its citizens and not to County officials.
If you have a link(s) for other Watcher Reports or News in Boulder County Colorado, please email me at: daniel at dansher dot com Thank you!

DATE WATCHER REPORT CONTENT SUMMARY LINK TARGET
October 25th 2012   Secretary of State Gessler amends Watcher Rules  regarding Official Watchers. 20121025_SOS_Watcher_Rules.pdf
October 25th 2012   Secretary of State Gessler gives Q&A  regarding Official Watchers. 20121025_SOS_Watcher_FAQ.pdf
December 8th 2009  Colorado Election Rules [8 CCR 1505-1] SOSRules2012.pdf
CAUTION: 2.8 Mb
05 December 2012 Citizen/Watcher Jim Fletcher submits his report (.pdf) for Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler's magical Listening Tour. 20121205_4Gessler_JF.pdf In which Mr. Fletcher opines: "...providing the necessary oversight ... will instill in the electorate the confidence that their vote is being counted and not nullified by someone trying to subvert the system. Convenience should not be substituted for voter integrity and voter integrity should not be interpreted as voter suppression."
04 December 2012 Canvass Board member Daniel Martin submits a letter to Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler. TO_SOS_DRM.pdf In which Canvass Board member Martin says, "...three [of the six] ballot streams are hopelessly polluted due to bad practices and questionable procedures.
"Because [these] three categories ... represent the majority of all ballots cast, the integrity of all future elections in Boulder County is called into question. Restorative changes ... must be implemented immediately, first in Boulder County then statewide."
20 November 2012 Citizen/Watcher Jim August refers two Citizen Complaints (previously submitted to the Clerk) to the Canvass Board via email. Mr. August also estimates over 3,100 Mail Ballot Return Envelopes should have failed the Signature Verification process in their initial "pass." To see how he arrived at the estimate, Click here.  Had more time and training been available to more Election Workers, these 3,100+ Mail Ballots could (and should) have been escalated to a more thorough level of verification, before being sent to the scanners for processing and counting.
Click on this link: 20121120_Complaint_JA.txt
14 November 2012 Citizen/Watcher Jim August reports on handling of Provisional Ballots. There are 3,262 of them that must be hand checked for citizenship, residency, double voting, etc. Jim writes, "I see two major ways that may allow voters to vote more than once... It hinges a lot on timing of the various [Provisional] ballot processing activities. These areas of concern are indented and in bold in my report. We have seen voters voting by mail and attempting to vote again by provisional so attempted double voting has happened." Read his Report: 20121114_ProvisionalWatch_JA.pdf
06 November 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer reports on Election Day activities at the Boulder Ballot Processing Center. He names many more Mail Ballot Signatures that need to be challenged, He also elaborates on his experiences at the University Club at CU where  ...many voters were IDed as having been sent a Mail Ballot, and who therefore should have only been given Provisional Ballots, were instead provided with a regular Polling Place Ballot on which to vote.  20121106_Watcher_LS.pdf
05 November 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer reports the names of still more Mail Ballot signatures that he wanted to challenge. Especially troubling is that:   "At one table [I witnessed] two Election Workers [who] were working on trays of 'Sample Ballots' which they were hand transferring onto regular ballots... Opening and Sorting area: Three trays of ballots marked 'samples' being transported onto official ballots by two UNMARKED WORKERS."  20121105_Watcher_LS.pdf
03 November 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer reports the names of a number of Mail Ballot signatures that he wanted to challenge. 20121103_Watcher_LS.pdf
04 November 2012 Citizen/Watcher Jim August makes an Official Complaint regarding the B&H Mail Ballot envelope scanner problems and more irregularities concerning the Mail Ballot signature verification process. 20121104_Complaint_JA.pdf
03 November 2012 Citizen/Watcher Al Kolwicz files a Complaint with SOS about errors in both design and reporting in the official on-line 2012 election results.. 20121103_ErrorsInElectionReporting_AK.pdf
02 November 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer reports from University Club CU, "Democratic party handing out food, drinks, buttons, and Voter Guide to electors waiting in line. Picture taken of woman in yellow top who was introduced as 'helping us from California' holding 4-5 mail-in ballot envelopes." 20121102_Watcher_LS.pdf
02 November 2012 Citizen/Watcher Al Kolwicz writes, "This letter [to the Boulder County Clerk] is a repeat request that you urgently answer our [previous] questions [of over a week ago]." 20121102_Appeal_AK.pdf
01 November 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer reports from CU Early Voting Center: Two unidentified (unbadged) persons swapping out Ballot Boxes. When questioned, Deputy Clerk Elections Coordinator Molly [Tayer] replied, 'Write it up.' 20121101_Watcher_LS.pdf
31 October 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer names and challenges many Mail Ballot Signatures. Other questionable practices are reported. 20121031_Watcher_LS.pdf
31 October 2012 Citizen/Watcher Jim August reports more B&H problems and, while observing scanned Ballot contest images during the "Resolution" process, "I noticed several ballots did not have a [voting] block printed for [the] candidate." 20121031_Watcher_JA.pdf
30 October 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer reports on electioneering and more serious infractions at CU Early Voting site. 20121030_Watcher_LS.pdf
30 October 2012 Citizen/Watcher Jim August reports on more problems with Bell&Howell Mail Ballot scanner and yet more questions about the Mail Ballot signature verification procedures. 20121030_Watcher_JA.pdf
29 October 2012 Even after settlement, Watcher reports few improvements at Clerk's office. Very disturbing are these chilling Watcher observations:  "Thursday last week during ballot resolution, Karen observed the resolution teams, after both of them had made a determination on an over vote, being pressured by a supervisor to 'give' the vote to Obama."  Then there's this ominous note:   "At the Lafayette Early Voting Polling location today, a watcher reported that ballots had been cast with ' SAMPLE' written on them 20121029_Watcher_JF.pdf
29 October 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer names and challenges six more Mail Ballot signatures. 20121029_Watcher_LS.pdf
27 October 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer reports, "I have still been denied any way to have these signatures examined by a bi-partisan team. My only recourse is to file criminal complaint which I hesitate to initiate..' 20121027_Watcher_LS.pdf
26 October 2012 Citizen/Watcher Jim August reports: "Observed a team reviewing rejected signatures [on Mail Ballots]. They were changing about 1 in 4 back to 'Good'. One signature came up that had a signature for 'Witness' and one team member said they were told if there was a witness’s signature they were to accept it all the time. 20121026_Watcher_JA.pdf
26 October 2012 Watcher/Citizen Larry Singer reports, "I requested from [Clerk staff Ms] Power to see the log with tracking of ballots arrival from various locations. Power said, 'file a CORA request.' 20121026_Watcher_LS.pdf
October 26th 2012 Group of Citizen/Watchers file UOCAVA-related lawsuit against Clerk and certain other Election Officials. SPECIAL NOTE: This lawsuit was quickly settled by Clerk Hall in the plaintiff's favor. Longmont's Times-Call also reported on the settlement. 20121026_Hall-Suit_IndepInst.pdf
October 26th 2012 Citizen/Watcher Al Kolwicz files a detailed Report on Election systems and processes at the Clerk's office. Of special note are his comments on the new Bell&Howell Mail Ballot Envelope scanner/sorter. 20121026_Watcher_AK.pdf
October 26th 2012 Citizen Jim Fletcher files UOCAVA related Complaint with Canvass Board. 20121026_CB_UOCAVA_Complaint_JF.pdf
October 26th 2012 Retired college professor describes impossible viewing conditions at Mail Ballot signature verification station where not even binoculars are adequate to 'Watch' the operation. 20121026_Watcher_SC.txt
October 25th 2012 Citizen James August files Bell&Howell scanner and envelope sorting system Complaint with Clerk Hall. 20121025_Election_Complaint_JA.pdf
October 24th 2012 Watcher Larry Singer reports on consistent denial of meaningful Mail Ballot signature verification viewing distance. 20121024_Watcher_LS.pdf
October 23rd 2012 Watcher describes difficulties in viewing and challenging questionable Mail Ballot signatures. 20121023_Watcher_LS.pdf
October 23rd 2012 Watcher describes ineffective and obstructive conditions attempting to monitor UOCAVA activities. www.alkolwicz.net
October 22nd 2012 Watcher Report Questions Accuracy and reliability of Un-Certified Bell&Howell scanning machine used to verify Mail Ballot signatures. NOTE: A Federal HAVA Complaint was filed with the Canvass Board Oct. 1st 2012 by Citizen Al Kolwicz to stop its use. 20121022_Watcher_JA.pdf
October 20th 2012 Watcher interfered-with while attempting to verify UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) Ballots. NOTE: All UOCAVA voters waive their right to a secret ballot. Official Watchers swear an oath not to disclose any voter’s choices so 'voter privacy' can not be an issue. 20121020_Watcher_LS.pdf
October 19th 2012 Watcher details his concerns about overly restrictive constraints which tend to nullify the entire purpose of 'Watching' the Mail Ballot signature verification process that protects the integrity of the Election itself. 20121019_Watcher_JA.pdf
October 19th 2012 Additional Watcher comments on the overly rigid Mail Ballot signature verification and challenge process. 20121019_Watcher_LS.pdf
October 18th 2012 Detailed Watcher review of aribitrary denials by Clerk staff of minimal Mail Ballot signature verification access. 20121018_Watcher_LS.pdf


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