Colorado GOP demands oversight due to problematic ballots

Colorado Republicans are calling on Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold to appoint an election supervisor in Pueblo County after voters reported receiving multiple ballots ahead of the state primary election.

“Today, we are calling on Jena Griswold to do in Pueblo County what she has chosen to do in counties run by Republican Clerks - appoint an election supervisor to oversee Democrat Clerk Bo Ortiz," Colorado GOP Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown wrote in a statement released Tuesday. 

"Some Pueblo County voters have now received FOUR different versions of their ballots. These mistakes have risen to a level that can only negatively impact the trust that voters have in Colorado’s election system," she said. "It’s time for Jena to stop protecting her fellow Democrat and appoint a supervisor to get this election back on track."

The Colorado Republican Party's call to action comes after the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder on Friday blamed the print vendor for mailing "a ballot that does not include the County Commissioner race to roughly 1,600 voters" ahead of the June 28 primary election.

The state GOP criticized Griswold for not doing more.

"In addition to appointing an election supervisor and replacing Ortiz, we also recommend that Jena spend more time doing her job supervising elections rather than auditioning for her next role on MSNBC," Brown said. "The fact that many Pueblo County voters have received several different ballots has caused confusion, will ensure that mistakes are made, and puts both local and statewide campaigns in a difficult spot."

Pueblo County has had other ballot issues in addition to the commissioner's race. About 20 voters received ballots with the incorrect House District, Ortiz confirmed to local outlet KRDO last week.