vote by mail Archives - Yellow Scene Magazine

Superior Special Election on Home Rule Charter Set for December 10

Ray Manzari — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 21:28:22 +0000

On December 10, Superior residents will vote in a special election to approve or reject a proposed Home Rule Charter, a step that could grant the town greater independence in local governance. This election will be conducted entirely by mail. Registered voters will receive ballots by mail, which they can return by post or drop off at the 24-hour ballot box outside Superior Town Hall at 124 E. Coal Creek Drive.

Last year, Erie voted to approve its Home Rule Charter. Home Rule allows local municipalities, like Erie, Colorado, to govern themselves with greater autonomy by drafting a municipal charter. This charter enables the town to manage issues such as zoning, taxation, and public health independently rather than following state-mandated rules.

In the context of Erie, adopting Home Rule would give residents more control over local decisions, such as tax collection methods, open space preservation, and council elections. Home Rule charters aim to empower communities with a direct say in governance, which many residents see as a means to preserve local interests and address specific community needs without state intervention.

For those needing an absentee or replacement ballot, applications are available to download online. Completed forms can be submitted by email to elections@crsofcolorado.com.

To help residents understand the details of the Home Rule Charter, Superior will hold two informational sessions at the Superior Community Center, located at 1500 Coalton Road. Each session will cover the same material, providing residents a chance to ask questions and learn about potential impacts. The sessions are scheduled for:

Thursday, Nov. 14, from 5–6 p.m.
~~Thursday, Dec. 7, from 7–8 p.m.~~ has been moved to Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30pm

The Home Rule Charter is designed to give Superior more control over local issues such as zoning, taxes, and community health policies. If approved, this charter would move decision-making power from the state to the town, allowing residents to shape policies directly affecting their community.

For further information, including the full text of the Home Rule Charter and election notice, visit the town’s website or contact the commission at homerule@superiorcolorado.gov

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The post Superior Special Election on Home Rule Charter Set for December 10 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold Condemns Voter Suppression Bill

Associate Editor — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 13:32:01 +0000

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Denver, Colo, March 14, 2022 – Today, Secretary of State Jena Griswold voiced opposition to HB22-1204, a new bill proposed in the Colorado House of Representatives that would drastically alter Colorado’s elections by effectively eliminating the vote by mail model that was passed into law statewide in Colorado in 2013.

“The Colorado Election Model is the nation’s gold standard for its access and security,” said Secretary Griswold. “HB22-1204 would take us backwards, making our elections less secure and harder for eligible Coloradans to have their voices heard. As Secretary of State, I will always protect the right to vote for all eligible Coloradans, and that’s why my office opposes this legislation.”

HB22-1204 would require in-person voting on Election Day, eliminating both the vote by mail and early voting procedures for the vast majority of voters. Both vote by mail and early voting have proven popular with Colorado voters for nearly a decade, and have increased access to the ballot box across the state.

In the 2021 Coordinated Election, over 98% of voters chose to cast their mail ballot, while in the 2020 General Election, nearly 94% of all returned ballots were done via mail or drop box. Of the 3.2 million ballots cast in 2020, 86% were returned before Election Day.

The bill would also require all ballots to be counted by hand, a lengthy process that can decrease accuracy, and force a canvass within 24 hours of the election when canvasses should only be done after the state-wide bipartisan risk limiting audit. HB22-1204 would also remove Colorado from ERIC, which allows Secretary of State Offices to receive Social Security data and national change of address data used to maintain accurate voter rolls. The data provided by ERIC also helps states identify if a person casts a ballot in multiple states for the same election and is one of the tools for election security.

Secretary Griswold is currently working with legislators on a number of bills designed to strengthen the state’s election infrastructure, while protecting election officials, workers, and votes.

For a complete list of the Secretary’s 2022 legislative priorities, click here.

For the full text of HB22-1204 “Election Systems,” click here.

The post Secretary of State Jena Griswold Condemns Voter Suppression Bill appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.