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| Colorado Republican accused of following 'Florida playbook' in election | Colorado Republican accused of following 'Florida playbook' in election |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A portrait of Benjamin Franklin hangs in his office overlooking downtown Denver, but to critics Scott Gessler is no friend of the republic's founding principles. | A portrait of Benjamin Franklin hangs in his office overlooking downtown Denver, but to critics Scott Gessler is no friend of the republic's founding principles. |
| Colorado's secretary of state stands accused of purging the electoral roll in a bid to intimidate voters and boost Mitt Romney's chances of winning the swing state on Tuesday. | Colorado's secretary of state stands accused of purging the electoral roll in a bid to intimidate voters and boost Mitt Romney's chances of winning the swing state on Tuesday. |
| Gessler, a staunch Republican, has sent thousands of letters to voters demanding proof they are citizens, or their removal from the register, in a controversial campaign against voter fraud which has alarmed immigrant and civil rights groups. | Gessler, a staunch Republican, has sent thousands of letters to voters demanding proof they are citizens, or their removal from the register, in a controversial campaign against voter fraud which has alarmed immigrant and civil rights groups. |
| "There is tension out there. This has resonated in the immigration community," said Denise Maes, public policy director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado. "We don't know how many voters may be challenged on voting day." | "There is tension out there. This has resonated in the immigration community," said Denise Maes, public policy director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado. "We don't know how many voters may be challenged on voting day." |
| Some Democrats go further and accuse Gessler of disenfranchising ethnic minorities. "I think it's disgusting that when the chips are down the Republicans try to keep people from voting," said Paul Lopez, a Denver city councilman. | Some Democrats go further and accuse Gessler of disenfranchising ethnic minorities. "I think it's disgusting that when the chips are down the Republicans try to keep people from voting," said Paul Lopez, a Denver city councilman. |
| With polls showing Romney and Barack Obama tied in Colorado, a few thousand or even just a few hundred votes could tip the state's nine electoral college votes and catapult Gessler to the sort of fame, or infamy, of Katherine Harris, the secretary of state who helped tip Florida for George Bush in 2000. | With polls showing Romney and Barack Obama tied in Colorado, a few thousand or even just a few hundred votes could tip the state's nine electoral college votes and catapult Gessler to the sort of fame, or infamy, of Katherine Harris, the secretary of state who helped tip Florida for George Bush in 2000. |
| In a combative interview at his office this week Gessler rejected the accusations as smears and said the real threat to a clean vote was "hear no evil, see no evil" liberals who tolerated electoral fraud. | In a combative interview at his office this week Gessler rejected the accusations as smears and said the real threat to a clean vote was "hear no evil, see no evil" liberals who tolerated electoral fraud. |
| "What happens is they have voter registration drives and they don't care if [those who register] are citizens or not. We've seen it groups like Acorn," he said, referring to the non-governmental organisation which shut in 2010 after a successful conservative sting operation. | "What happens is they have voter registration drives and they don't care if [those who register] are citizens or not. We've seen it groups like Acorn," he said, referring to the non-governmental organisation which shut in 2010 after a successful conservative sting operation. |
| "Elections are how we award power in democracy. And some people are tempted to do bad things to get it. We have to take preventive measures to stop that from happening." | "Elections are how we award power in democracy. And some people are tempted to do bad things to get it. We have to take preventive measures to stop that from happening." |
| Gessler grew up in Chicago, a city famous for political chicanery, but said his passion for cleaning voter rolls stemmed from his adopted state's razor-thin margins in local elections. "We have a history of close races in Colorado." | Gessler grew up in Chicago, a city famous for political chicanery, but said his passion for cleaning voter rolls stemmed from his adopted state's razor-thin margins in local elections. "We have a history of close races in Colorado." |
| He showed the Guardian copies of letters from immigrants who had written to state officials reporting they had been placed on the electoral roll despite not being citizens. "We know there's a problem." | He showed the Guardian copies of letters from immigrants who had written to state officials reporting they had been placed on the electoral roll despite not being citizens. "We know there's a problem." |
| He rejected claims from the ACLU and other groups of negligible evidence of voter fraud. "There are 10 to 12 million illegal immigrants in the US. What's the evidence they're not voting? There is no evidence either way. The absence of evidence of something doesn't prove it doesn't exist." | He rejected claims from the ACLU and other groups of negligible evidence of voter fraud. "There are 10 to 12 million illegal immigrants in the US. What's the evidence they're not voting? There is no evidence either way. The absence of evidence of something doesn't prove it doesn't exist." |
| Soon after election to his post last year, Gessler, a lawyer by training, launched a wide-ranging review of the electoral register and fought an ultimately successful battle to obtain data from the Department of Homeland Security. | Soon after election to his post last year, Gessler, a lawyer by training, launched a wide-ranging review of the electoral register and fought an ultimately successful battle to obtain data from the Department of Homeland Security. |
| In August his office sent letters to 3,900 registered voters identified as potential non-citizens. His office said 141 were found to be non-citizens, of whom 35 had voted in previous elections. Last month letters were sent to 300 other suspected non-citizens. | In August his office sent letters to 3,900 registered voters identified as potential non-citizens. His office said 141 were found to be non-citizens, of whom 35 had voted in previous elections. Last month letters were sent to 300 other suspected non-citizens. |
| Maes, of the ACLU, said Gessler's investment of time and money to the issue was disproportionate. "It's a solution in search of a problem." The letters had stirred unease among immigrants, she said. "We're trying to soothe these concerns." | Maes, of the ACLU, said Gessler's investment of time and money to the issue was disproportionate. "It's a solution in search of a problem." The letters had stirred unease among immigrants, she said. "We're trying to soothe these concerns." |
| Alan Kaplan, originally from Bielorussia, received one of the most recent letters despite the fact he has been a citizen since 2001. "The letter was phrased in a very intimidating way. It seems to question your right to vote. It's had a chilling effect on immigrant communities. I think the timing, right before an election, is very suspect." | Alan Kaplan, originally from Bielorussia, received one of the most recent letters despite the fact he has been a citizen since 2001. "The letter was phrased in a very intimidating way. It seems to question your right to vote. It's had a chilling effect on immigrant communities. I think the timing, right before an election, is very suspect." |
| Olivia Mendoza, executive director of Claro, a public policy group for Colorado Latinos, said Gessler was chasing a "phantom fear" and sowing confusion among legitimate voters. "It's impacting the Latino community immensely, especially among what we call low-information voters." | Olivia Mendoza, executive director of Claro, a public policy group for Colorado Latinos, said Gessler was chasing a "phantom fear" and sowing confusion among legitimate voters. "It's impacting the Latino community immensely, especially among what we call low-information voters." |
| In some cases the letters were triggering a backlash, said Mendoza. "It's almost like a call to arms, as if their ability to vote has been called into question." | In some cases the letters were triggering a backlash, said Mendoza. "It's almost like a call to arms, as if their ability to vote has been called into question." |
| The secretary of state rebuffed such claims. "There is no evidence, zero, that it's impacting Hispanics. Critics will play the race and the voter intimidation card at a moment's notice." | The secretary of state rebuffed such claims. "There is no evidence, zero, that it's impacting Hispanics. Critics will play the race and the voter intimidation card at a moment's notice." |
| Gessler, who has been embroiled in a separate row over attending partisan political events on the public dime, denied he was following the "Florida playbook" – a reference to that state's Republican-led voter roll "cleansing". | Gessler, who has been embroiled in a separate row over attending partisan political events on the public dime, denied he was following the "Florida playbook" – a reference to that state's Republican-led voter roll "cleansing". |
| He said his office had spent $1.1m registering Colorado voters, an initiative which netted more Democrats than Republicans, and that the state's electoral roll was cleaner than ever. He compared his campaign to installing fire alarms. "Even if a building has no history of fires, it's something you do." | He said his office had spent $1.1m registering Colorado voters, an initiative which netted more Democrats than Republicans, and that the state's electoral roll was cleaner than ever. He compared his campaign to installing fire alarms. "Even if a building has no history of fires, it's something you do." |
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