RBC I In response to reported unofficial door-to-door canvassing of Colorado voters, the Colorado Secretary of State’s office issued the following reminders to voters:
If an individual comes to your door and requests information about your voting history or registration status, you are not required to answer.
Every voter’s right to a secret ballot is constitutionally protected in Colorado. If a door-to-door canvasser asks how you voted in a particular race, you are not required to tell the canvasser how you voted.
Any claim that door-to-door canvassing is official business of the Colorado Secretary of State’s office or the state of Colorado is false. No state or local election office in Colorado is conducting door-to-door voter participation surveys.
You have the right to request the name and credentials of door-to-door solicitors, as well as the organization they represent.
If you feel harassed or threatened, please reach out to local law enforcement or the Department of Justice at justice.gov.
Several pieces of information in a voter record are considered a “public record,” and the Secretary of State’s office is required by law to provide this information to any member of the public who requests it. This information includes your full name, residential address, political party affiliation and date of affiliation, phone number (if provided by the voter), gender identity (if provided by the voter), birth year, and information about whether you have voted in prior elections. If you believe that you or a member of your household will be exposed to criminal harassment or bodily harm because your voter information is publicly available, you may elect to become a confidential voter. Confidential voters’ registration information is NOT released to the public, nor is it obtainable through a download of the list of registered voters. To become a confidential voter, you must go to your local county clerk and recorder’s office, fill out a voter confidentiality form, and pay a $5 fee. Refer to this list of county clerk and recorder offices for the necessary contact information.
Survivors of domestic violence, sexual offenses, or stalking may also consider enrolling in the Colorado Address Confidentiality Program. Voters who are part of this program will NOT have any of their voter information released to the public.
Special to the Herald Times
