State election official praises Springs election
A Colorado elections official Tuesday praised Colorado Springs municipal election as a well run process that met or exceeded state standards.
Wayne Munster, Colorado Deputy Secretary of State, said his office monitored everything from the opening of mail ballots from the U.S. Postal Service to the counting of those ballots.
“We have been very impressed,” he told reporters while standing next to Colorado City Clerk Kathryn Young. “We observed every step of the process. We found every step to be secure, comprehensive and accurate.”
The Secretary of State’s office agreed to observe the election after five candidates running for mayor or city council said they lacked confidence in Young’s ability to administer an election.
Mayoral candidates Brian Bahr, Tom Gallagher and Buddy Gilmore made the request. They were joined by council candidates Angela Dougan and Lisa Czelatdko.
Their criticism drew a rebuke from Mayor Lionel Rivera, who defended Young and called the letter a “publicity stunt.”
Young welcomed the outside observers. As for her critics, she said, “Everyone’s entitled to their opinion about things.”
She said she visited every ballot drop off station twice Tuesday and found everything running smoothly.
The vote counting machines were able to produce unofficial results about 40 minutes after the last ballot was cast.
About 6,000 of the 151,000 ballots mailed to voters were returned as undeliverable. But Munster said that’s about average for most mail ballot elections because people move and forget to change their address.
A steady stream of such voters arrived at the city Administration building Tuesday afternoon to obtain ballots.
Young said about the only thing she would have done differently is provide tents to protect the high school volunteers who stood at the curb collecting ballots from voters.
The last person to do so in downtown Colorado Springs was Michele Parker, who hurried from some errands to cast her ballot at 6:59 p.m.
“I just think it’s important to vote,” Parker said after she dropped off her ballot. “Every vote counts, even if it’s the last one.”
Colorado Springs City Clerk Kathryn Young held a press conference with Wayne Munster, Deputy Director of Elections for Colorado outside of the City Administration building after the deadline for ballots on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Photo by JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE
