Recorder's Notes

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By Pamela Bacon
Logan County Clerk and Recorder
May 19, 2021

Election Information:

Know the Facts for Colorado!

Is it illegal to sign someone else’s ballot envelope?

  • YES, IT IS ILLEGAL!

Colorado Revised Statue Title 1 states the elector must sign the affirmation on the ballot envelope.

Colorado Revised Statue 1-735-107(B)(II) the signing of the self-affirmation on the return envelope shall constitute an affirmation by the eligible elector, under penalty of perjury, that the facts stated in the self-affirmation are true. 

Can I give someone else permission to sign my ballot envelope?

  • NO, IT IS ILLEGAL!

Colorado Revised Statue Title 1 states the elector must sign the self-affirmation on the ballot envelope. 

Colorado Revised Statues 1-7.5-107.3 in every mail ballot election that is coordinated with or conducted by the county clerk and recorder, an election judge shall compare the signature on the self-affirmation of each return envelope with signature of the eligible elector stored in the statewide voter registration system. 

(2)(a) if, upon comparing the signature of an eligible elector on the self-affirmation the return envelope with the signature of the eligible elector stored in the statewide voter registration system, the election judge determines that the signatures do not match, two other election judges of different political party affiliations shall simultaneously compare the signatures. 

  • If two other election judges agree that the signatures do not match, the county clerk and recorder shall within three days after the signature deficiency has been confirmed, but in no event later than two days after election day, send to the eligible elector a letter explain the discrepancy in the signatures and a form for the eligible elector to confirm that the elector returned the ballot to the county clerk and recorder.
  • If the county clerk receives the form within eight days after election day confirming that the elector returned a ballot to the county clerk and recorder and enclosing a copy of the elector’s identification, and the ballot is otherwise valid, the ballot shall be counted. 
  • If the elector did not return the form and a copy of their identification within the eight days after the election.  The ballot is not counted. 
  • When the elector does not return the form and a copy of their identification within the eight days after the election then the shall send copies of the eligible elector’s signature on the return envelope and the signature stored in the statewide voter registration system the District Attorney’s Office for investigation and possible prosecution for forged ballot signatures or for impersonating an elector. 

Example of signatures not matching:

  • Voter prints name on the ballot envelope and on file we have all signatures for the voter.  This doesn’t match and would be rejected and a letter sent, if there is not a printed name for the voter anywhere that is a match on their file.
  • Voter prints first initial and middle initial and last name is not legible and on file we have a full first name and last name that is legible on all signatures.  This doesn’t match and would be rejected and a letter sent, if there is not a printed name for the voter anywhere that is a match on their file. 
  • Voter only has one signature on file and what they have put on the ballot envelope does not even resemble the signature on file. 

Logan County’s trained teams of bipartisan election workers (opposite parties) look through all files for the voter in the statewide data base and apply Colorado Revised Statues and Secretary of State Rules in order to determine if the signature is a valid signature from the voter before it is rejected and a letter is sent to the voter to confirm if that voter in deed voted their ballot for that election. 

How do signatures get into the statewide data base? 

  • Any change a voter makes we capture the signature for that voter to be used to compare.
  • All ballot envelope signatures are scanned into the statewide data base and is used to compare.
  • Signature from Driver’s License when that is renewed is in the statewide data base and is used to compare.   

** Logan County Clerk and Recorder does turn over information to the District Attorney for investigation and possible prosecution. 

C.R.S. 1-13-106 Forgery: Any person who falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits any ballot before or after it has been cast, or who forges any name of a person as a signer or witness to a petition or nomination paper, or who forges any letter of acceptance, declination, or withdrawal, or who forges the name of a registered elector to a voter’s mail-in or mail ballot commits forgery as set forth in section 18-5-102., and shall be punished as provided in section 18-1.3-401, C.R.S.

C.R.S. 1-13-705 Personating elector:  Any person who falsely personates any elector and votes at any election provided by law under the name of such elector shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than eighteen months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. 

PLAN AHEAD:  Logan County Offices will be closed Monday, May 31, 2021 in observation of Memorial Day. 

The Election and Recording Department can be reached at 522-1544 for voter and election questions or recording information.  The Motor Vehicle Department can be reached at 522-1158 for license plates/renewals or titling a vehicle.  You can also reach our office by email at baconp@logancountyco.gov . Like us on Facebook at Logan County Elections/MotorVehicle/Recording