Colorado officials encourage voters to be wary of intimidation, election disinformation

Voters fill out ballots shortly after 6 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022, at the mobile polling location at the Emily Griffith Technical College in downtown Denver. (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)

Two top state officials in Colorado recently shared information to ensure voters are informed on their right to vote free of intimidation and how to avoid election disinformation ahead of the 2024 election. 

A public advisory Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, released Monday explained Colorado’s legal protections against voter intimidation, how someone can report violations, and associated penalties. Voter intimidation occurs when someone attempts to interfere with or prevent an elector from voting, or when someone attempts to compel a voter to vote, not vote, or vote for or against a specific candidate or issue. 

“Colorado’s democracy is built on the right of every eligible voter to cast their ballot safely and freely, without fear or intimidation,” Weiser said in a statement. “We will not tolerate any attempts to undermine the integrity of our elections, and those who seek to intimidate voters or disrupt poll centers will be held accountable.”

A poll from the start of 2024 found one-third of adults in the U.S. believe false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Claims of widespread fraud in recent U.S. elections have been debunked by elections officials, experts, media investigations, law enforcement, and the courts.

Federal law enforcement agencies have issued dire warnings about potential threats to the 2024 election. Colorado election officials and workers have been subject to hundreds of violent threats. A suspicious package containing white powder was mailed to Jena Griswold, the Colorado secretary of state, in September. Federal officials charged a man from Cortez in August with threatening election officials in Colorado and Arizona.

Voter intimidation is a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to 364 days imprisonment, or both. Weiser’s advisory notes that people cannot campaign inside polling centers or within 100 feet of a building where a polling center is located. Voter intimidation can occur regardless of location.

Election watchers must be appointed and have their name included on an official list with their respective county clerk after going through a certification training. Election watchers are prohibited from recording photos or videos within a polling center where confidential voter information is within view. They are also subject to voter intimidation laws and cannot attempt to pressure voters to vote any particular way. 

Griswold, a Democrat, encouraged voters to rely on trusted sources when searching for election information, particularly URLs that use a “.gov” domain such as GoVoteColorado.gov or ColoradoSOS.gov. The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency oversees all websites that use a .gov domain. 

Griswold encouraged voters to be aware of sensational content intended to incite anger or promote false information, and to verify information with trusted sources from state and local election officials before sharing to avoid amplifying misinformation. 

“We must continue to combat election disinformation,” Griswold said in a statement. “Coloradans should always use trusted sources for election information, including GoVoteColorado.gov and their County Clerk’s Office.”

The secretary of state’s office also highlighted a new Colorado law that requires political candidates to clearly label advertisements that feature content generated by AI. That includes fake voices, videos and images created by a computer to look or sound like an individual, which are known as deepfakes. The law is focused on identifying AI-generated political content, rather than controlling its distribution.

Voters can file a complaint reporting an improperly disclosed deepfake to the secretary of state’s office, and it would then go to an administrative hearing similar to those held for campaign finance complaints. 

Another new Colorado law prohibits firearms at polling centers, within buildings where polling centers are located, and within 100 feet of a ballot drop box. Exceptions are in place for people on their private property, security guards and peace officers. 

Anyone who witnesses someone trying to interfere with another’s right to vote should contact local law enforcement, the county clerk’s office, or the attorney general’s office.