Voter Action Press Release

For Immediate Release:
Denver, Colorado, January 23, 2007 – Today a non-partisan and diverse group of Colorado voters, who in 2006 brought Conroy v. Dennis, the first successful court challenge to the certification of Direct Record Electronic (“DRE”) computerized voting machines, publicly applauded the General Assembly’s Republican and Democratic leaders’ and Governor Bill Ritter’s decision to support a return to paper ballots as the solution for Colorado’s 2008 elections, calling it a victory for all Colorado voters.

“We enthusiastically support the state legislators’ and Governor Ritter’s recommendation that Colorado move to paper ballots,” said Myriah Conroy, a plaintiff in the Colorado voters’ 2006 lawsuit.  “We are pleased that our Republican and Democratic leaders have moved beyond partisan politics and have decided that Colorado should join with California, Florida, Michigan, and other states in rejecting the widely discredited DRE voting systems.
“We applaud the commitment to take back our elections from the private companies that have been promoting dubious DRE computerized voting technology. This move to precinct counted paper ballots is a huge step towards restoring public confidence in our elections” said Paul Hultin, of Wheeler Trigg Kennedy, LLP, counsel for Plaintiffs in Conroy v. Dennis.
“We urge the General Assembly to adopt the proposed legislation that provides for a less expensive and more reliable paper ballot and optical scanning system,” stated John Bonifaz, Legal Director of Voter Action, www.voteraction.org, a not-for-profit organization that supported the 2006 voter lawsuit and provides legal, research, and logistical support for grassroots efforts to ensure the integrity of elections in the United States.  “The legislature should act as soon as possible to ensure that the counties have sufficient time to prepare for the primary elections in August.”
The group of voters also agrees with the Governor and the Senate and House leadership that an all-mail-ballot system is not the best alternative to computerized electronic voting machines.
“A system that relies exclusively on centrally counted mail-in ballots is less secure, less reliable, and less transparent than a precinct-based paper ballot system,” said Mike Williams, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers.  “In 2002, Colorado voters rejected all-mail-ballot elections, and with good reason.  Mail ballots carry a high risk of tampering, mishandling, and voter intimidation.  Sometimes mail ballots even disappear altogether by the thousands, as happened in Florida’s 2000 and 2004 elections.  Every vote needs to be accurately counted,” added Williams. 
Media contact:  Paul Hultin, Wheeler Trigg Kennedy LLP, (505) 982-6227, hultin@wtklaw.com; John Bonifaz, Legal Director, Voter Action, (617) 529-4611.