The Canvass Board is responsible for examining the evidence related to an election, to determine if that election met two requirements: (1) the number of ballots counted was equal to or less than the number of ballots cast by electors, and (2) the Statement of Vote that the county sends to the state is an accurate list of the results of that election. (The Certification of ... Election document for Boulder County in 2016 is one of the last pages of https://assets.bouldercounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2016-general-election-canvass-documents.pdf .) The Certification addresses only those two points. Each Board member who believes both claims in the Certification have been proven to be true should sign the document. Any Board member who believes otherwise should refuse to sign.
Board members are entitled to believe that the County Clerk has conscientiously fulfilled all duties required by law, and should treat the Clerk’s staff with respect and courtesy accordingly. (However, Board members still should apply due diligence to determine whether the Certification’s claims have been proven true or not.) Belief that other tasks, not required by law, should have been accomplished is not a valid basis for criticism and should not be mentioned. Any criticisms that arise should be directed to the facts at hand; not to the people involved.
Similarly, members of the County Clerk’s staff should understand that Board members are acting conscientiously and honestly, and provide appropriate respect, courtesy, and cooperation. Disagreements should be confined to facts instead of directed against Board members, and should remain civil.
Too many people believe that our current election system’s main priority has turned away from expressing the will of the people with provable integrity, and toward the convenience of government Officials and employees who run the election. All parties - Officials, employees, and Canvass Board alike - should confine their comments to the two issues at hand.
State officials claim our election system is the “Gold Standard” of election processes. Many parts of the pre-election and post-election examinations amount to self-auditing, which is not accepted by other branches of state government such as tax collections etc. Self-auditing is not a gold standard; it is an invitation to evil. If you agree, direct your ideas about improvement to appropriate officers of your county’s Republican Party.
