DC, State Officials Pay Visit to Clerk’s Office
With the 2018 Election only one week away, efforts are ramping up to make sure that everything runs as smooth as possible. To that end, here’s an update from Saguache County Clerk & Recorder Trish Gilbert regarding some recent visits to her office from a Washington DC official, as well as an agent from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. Get out and vote!
Clips From The Clerk
by Trish Gilbert, Saguache County Clerk & Recorder
Jorge Castillo is a Trial Attorney, Voting Section at U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
Castillo accompanied by an assistant (whose name I can neither pronounce or spell), came to visit the Saguache County Clerk’s Office on October 24 for the purpose of election monitoring.
Effective December 5, 2016, Saguache County was determined by the Census Bureau to be a county subject to the minority language assistance provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended. Saguache County is listed as covered by Section 203 of the Act, and is obligated to provide the minority language for the Hispanic group. All Election material, with the exception of a Tabor Notice, must be provided in both English and Spanish. (We also posted a Spanish version of the TABOR Notice)
Castillo requested Spanish – and English-language versions (or dual-language versions, if combined) of the following documents:
- A sample ballot for the November 6, 2018, election;
- Any other materials mailed to voters, including TABOR notices, ballot instructions, the sending envelope, and the return envelope;
- Any materials for voters available at the Voter Service & Polling Center (“VSPC”), including provisional ballot envelopes and instructions;
- A copy of the notice of the notice of election for the November 6, 2018, election;
- The names of any election judges you will use for early or election day voting that are bilingual, if any, including dates and times those judges will work;
- Any training materials, manuals, or election day materials for poll workers (e.g., quick reference guide) that discuss bilingual assistance; and
- Any signs used at the VSPC or ballot drop-off locations that provide information to or instructions for voters.
Castillo was happy to meet with our student election judge from Mountain Valley High School.
Then on October 25, Steve Bouey, Campaign Finance Manager for the Secretary of State’s Office, came to the clerk’s office to conduct a pre-election county support visit. Bouey was appointed as an official observer for the Colorado Secretary of State, in accordance with Election Rules and C.R.S. Observers are permitted to inspect and review the procedures of the Clerk and Recorder, county staff, election judges, and other election officials, in the conduct of the 2018 General Election.
How did we measure up? So far, So good!
Local Elections Matter!
