Voters, know your rights

Todd Broseski puts an “I Voted” sticker on his T-shirt on Super Tuesday in Denver, March 5, 2024. (Kevin Mohatt for Colorado Newsline)

Voters have rights. They must understand that they are.

The main role of an American citizen is to exercise sovereign power over the affairs of the state. This means speaking up to ensure that government is responsive, joining together with other citizens with similar interests, and above all, voting.

But now, less than a week before Election Day, it’s clear that the right to vote is facing challenges like never before.

Legal and legislative efforts by opponents of democracy in Colorado and across the country have resulted in the destruction of voting rights. More worryingly, voter intimidation is already a factor in elections.

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Earlier this month the man was detained in Del Norte on suspicion of illegal campaigning after he refused to stop urging voters to cast their ballots for former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee. Heidi Ganal, the Republican candidate who lost in the 2022 race for governor of Colorado, who is election denierhas recruited so-called drop-box observers in recent weeks to “engage in the process” and “provide oversight” of the vote, although the observers are likely to be hostile to the whole idea of ​​the drop-boxes, as Hanahl publicly expressed doubt about their safety. The US Department of Justice on Wednesday found it necessary highlight his efforts protect voters’ access to voting. Phil Weiser, Colorado’s attorney general, has deemed the threat of voter intimidation serious enough that this month he gave advice warning Coloradans to be on the lookout.

(2024 Voter’s Guide: Congressional Candidates and Voting Results.)

Here’s what voters need to know. Bullying is illegal under state law. This is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to 364 days, or both. Every voter who has become a victim of intimidation must contact your county clerk or local law enforcement.

Other things to keep in mind: It’s illegal to have in Colorado guns within 100 feet box or polling station. Even canvassing within 100 feet of these locations is illegal. No voter should ever reveal how he voted.

The Secretary of State issues a booklet which details voter rights. The pro-democracy group Colorado Common Cause offers Just Vote Colorado Election Protection, a program that helps Americans vote without confusion or intimidation. The program has a hotline and a website in English and Spanish. Hotline in English: 866-687-8683; in Spanish it is 888-839-8682.

It’s all about giving your voice, making your voice heard. Colorado Newsline has created many resources to help voters make informed decisions. Here are some of them:

Your rights as a voter are only valuable when you vote. The stakes for the 2024 election can hardly be higher. The presidential candidates offer radically different visions for the future of the country, and the results of state elections and voting can have a profound effect on the lives of every Coloradan.

Journalists Newsline and affiliated outlets in Washington, DC and nationwide will offer comprehensive news coverage on Tuesday. We invite you to tell us about your experience. We want to hear from you as you cast your ballot and exercise your basic rights as a voter.

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