At least 12 mail-in ballots in Colorado were reported stolen in a rural county, where they were then filled out with fraudulent votes. Shockingly, three of these fraudulent ballots managed to slip past county election officials and were actually counted in the general election the following month, according to state officials. However, a fourth ballot was nearly counted as well, until the voter received an electronic notification – despite never receiving their ballot – alerting them that their ballot had been accepted by the elections office. This prompted the voter to contact the clerk’s office, preventing the fraudulent vote from being included in the tally.
The discovery of these fraudulent votes was made during the voter signature verification process, allowing election officials in Mesa County to intercept eight of the stolen ballots before they were counted. Unfortunately, the three ballots that were already counted cannot be removed from the total count, as once the ballots are separated from their signature envelopes, they become untraceable.
It was noted that some of the fraudulent ballots were signed by the same individual, though officials refrained from speculating on any potential motives. The ongoing investigation is being carried out by Mesa County officials as well as the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The district attorney’s office has yet to provide any comments on the matter.
This incident occurs in the same county where former elections clerk Tina Peters was recently sentenced to prison for her involvement in a data breach scheme stemming from baseless claims regarding voter machine fraud during the 2020 presidential election. Despite this, Secretary of State Jena Griswold sought to reassure the public, emphasising the integrity and security of Colorado’s election processes. Measures such as signature verification, ballot tracking, and a curing process are in place to swiftly identify any fraudulent activities.
As a result of the fraudulent ballots, voters who did not receive their mail-in ballots will be issued new ones to ensure their voices are heard. Replacement Mesa County Clerk and Recorder, Bobbi Gross, expressed her dissatisfaction with the premature disclosure of details by Griswold, as she believed it could jeopardise the ongoing investigation into those responsible.
In conclusion, this alarming incident underscores the importance of maintaining the security and integrity of the electoral process. Despite attempts at fraud, the swift detection and prevention of these fraudulent ballots serve as a testament to the robust safeguards in place to protect the sanctity of elections in Colorado. Vigilance and transparency remain key in upholding public trust in the electoral system.