Posted on 11/07/2006 12:10:07 PM PST by beaversmom
Colorado Democratic Party officials said they will ask a state judge to keep Denver polling places open for two extra hours Tuesday night, saying computer problems forced some voters to wait up to two hours while others were turned away.
A court filing said the Denver city attorney supported the request. A Republican Party spokesman said the GOP would oppose it.
GOP spokesman Bryant Adams said an extension was unnecessary because anyone who showed up at a polling place by 7 p.m. would be allowed to vote, no matter how long it took.
Lines of up to 300 people formed at some Denver polling places.
"This is positively ridiculous," said 82-year-old Jack McCroskey, clutching his cane while waiting at the Washington Park polling place in southeast Denver. "At 82, I don't deserve to have to stand out here. What if it had been 10 degrees today?"
Denver Election Commission spokesman Alton Dillard blamed the delays on an power problem with laptop computers used to check voter registrations.
He said some election officials had to call the central election office for the registration information, which he said added "a couple more minutes" to the process. Dillard said voting machines themselves were not affected.
Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Pat Waak said the problem was major. Party spokesman Brian Mason said the laptop computers were not working at least four Denver polling places and probably more.
"Some (voters) were turned away and told to come back later. Others were given provisional ballots, but they ran out," Mason said.
State GOP spokesman Bryant Adams called the request for longer hours "outrageous."
"Absolutely, we're going to oppose the extension," he said. "All a person has to do to vote is to be line by 7 o'clock," he said.
He accused Democrats of trying to win the election in the courts rather than at the ballot box.
Secretary of state spokeswoman Lisa Doran said long lines were reported around the state, which she blamed on the longest ballot in decades -- with 14 proposals -- and new voting machines.
"Despite the training, some of the election judges are intimidated by the machines," she said.
Jon Winterton, 66, who said he had been waiting for an hour and 15 minutes at the Washington Park polling place, didn't mind.
"I love voting. Tonight is like other people's football games. I love watching the returns," he said.
Up to 300 people stood in line at Denver sites. At one, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter waited an hour and 40 minutes to vote.
"It's actually heartening, because if you're standing in line, that means there are people in front of you and in back of you who are all voters. They understand the process is important enough to be patient and wait in line," he said after voting.
A spokesperson for Ritter said after the legal action was announced that there is a reason to be concerned. He added that the party is trying to make sure everyone who wants to vote is physically able to vote. The Ritter campaign said if extending the hours resolves the problem, then great.
Republican Bob Beauprez, who spent months battling Ritter for governor, summed up the election in a single word: Watershed.
The Beauprez campaign said it was still working to determine the facts of what caused the vote delays. They said there was no current evidence that anything outside of the existing rules and law were needed.
No wonder they disparage our military--not only are they without honor, they loathe those who have it.
I will never vote for a Democrat again, ever.
What if an asteroid came down and destroyed the whole state?........
Why is it that it is ALWAYS the DEMOCRATS that ask for extensions of voting hours?? GEEEEZ
End of story......NEXT!
It takes awhile to find all the dead voters.
Another "entitled" senior - we should run the world to suit his convenience.
"Plus, most of our voters don't roll out of bed much before 5 or 6 in the evening. By the time they sober up and eat something there's not much time left to get to the polls. Provided they can find them."
Yet it's not. As I write this post, it's Sunny and 72 degrees in Denver.
Are you a face-painter?
Well you gotta figure, they don't wake up till noon, then they gotta get high for a couple hours and.....
Melmahn on Mike Medved sounding cautiously optimistic.
If they were handing out free viagra, he'd stand there for 4 hours and not a peep............
Because we Republicans vote early in the morning - before WORK.
I had to run the air conditioner in my car today because my son was complaining about the heat.
So, did they get it?
Oh, this is BS!
We had early voting for a week already!
What happened? Jesse Jackass's bus broke down?!
Can't selectively leave Denver polls open two more hours.
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