CO may tighten rules for inactive voters

A dispute over mailing ballots to inactive voters in Colorado is headed for a public hearing Monday.

Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler is considering a new rule to ban election clerks from automatically sending mail-in ballots to inactive voters. He says that sending ballots to inactive voters invites fraud.

Democrats say voters who choose to mail their ballots shouldn’t have to call a clerk’s office to receive ballots just because they skipped an election. They accuse Gessler of trying to make it less convenient to vote.

The rule change hearing Monday gives both sides a chance to make arguments, though the decision is ultimately Gessler’s to make. The rule change would also make it easier for an inactive voter to become active voters by submitting a request online.