Complaint - Adams County Election Observer

1. Details of the complaint
State in your own words the detaited facts and circumstances that form the basis of your complaint, including any relevant person(s). Please
include relevant dates and times and the names and addresses of other persons whom you believe have knowledge of the farts. Also, give any
reasons that you feel the alleged violation was committed by the person andlor entity against whom this complaint is brought.
Please provide the details of your complaint in the space provided below. lf you need additional space, attach a separate page or pages.
(please type or print)
to the suggestions for media observers, "Media Observers may witness all electiqn activities.'' This appears as the first line in 8.9 of the rules for
purpose of this is simple. Voter integrity and the transparency of the election process are key to honest elections. The elderly have a right to their
votes and it's important to ensure that their rights are being safeguarded. There have been instances reported last year of lack of controls in
to nursing home ballots so media oversight is something that needs to be encouraged. These folk deserve to have their vote protected and
My purpose in going into this voting area was to observe the process as it was carried out in this residential care facility to help ensure that
ransparency was beinq observed and that these peoples'voting rights were protected.
I experienced during this visit made this complaint imperative. I hope for an outcome that will be suitable and appropriate considering the
of what happened and how the entire concept of media presence at voting areas was dealt with by those involved.
following took place between approx. I :30 and 3:30 on the 23rd of October. I went to The Villas at Sunny Acres at 2501 E 104th Ave, Denver, 80233 in
County, to observe the election process there. This is a residential care facility that serves the elderly of varying degrees of independence.
wore my media badge around my neck the entire time and pointed it out each time I introduced myself to anyone. lt clearly shows my name, my
, my badge number and the paper represented: Prairie Times, a periodical that has existed tor over 20 years and serves Adams County, Arapahoe
and Elbert County.
Thursday, 0€t ?3, ?014, I experieneed several forms of intimidaiion and threat at the above facility. Bather than welqoming media observation, I was
at every turn.
Upon arrival at the main buidling,l was given directions by the Receptionist to the voting area, which was in the basement. A Donetta Davidson was there
we introduced ourselves. She almost immediately told me I HAD TO stand behind a taped blue line on the floor. At the time I happened to be
just over the "wrong" side of the tape talking to her, with the voting area sort of behind me. I looked around and saw that there was one person
sitting at a table. at least 20 feet away if not more, with an election judge. Ms. Davidson said that that person was getting her address changed and that
she would be voting later. Meanwhile she was very insistent that I MUSI be on the other side of the tape on the floor. I am unaware of any rules about
standing behind a tape on the floor that is at least 20 or 30 feet away from a voter. As a courtesy I changed my position so my feet were on the 'right"
of the tape. I was not fllming, just having a conversation with Ms. Davidson.
a few minutes lwent to find the othertlvo election judges who, accordinE to Ms. Davidson, were helping with bed+idden residents in another
When I got the other venue, I introduced myself and showed my media badge {worn around my neck) but one judge refused to even give me
last name and told me to get it from the Supervisor (unnamed). The otherjudge, Celia Smith, frantically went out to 'phone Rusty- when I showed up.
I was also told thatthe DOOR TOTHE ROOM WHERETHE RESIDENTS WERE BROUGHTTO VOTE HADTO BE KEPT CLOSED and they attempted repeatedly
to close the door to prevent me from seeing inside, I politely stated that the media has access to the election process and can video and so the door
annot be closed.
residents there were not bed*idden, but as far as I recall most were in wheelchairs and were wheeled in by the staff one at a time to a small
room where each ofthem could vote.
I observed was that each judge was helping one patient individually with their ballot. I could not tell what the judge was actually doing with their
but each judge was working with one resident on a one-to-one basis. One judge placed herself between me and the voter so I could not see or
anything that was done while the judge was with her. One resident that was nearer to the door said she could not read the ballot so Celia Smith said
would read the ballot to her. At that point t left the area because I did not want to overhear how the resident voted. Unfortunately that also means I
ould not verifl7 the rest of the process with that voter.There were no Poll Watchers at this venue. Also, I don't recall seeing any signage designating that
room as a place for voting.
few minutes later an executive of the facility came up to me as I sat in a chair in the hallway and she loudly ordered me to leave now and in a very rude
said that she has the authority to order me out. I responded that since voting is occuning in that room, then it's a place where media is allowed.
was extremely rude and insisted that I leave immediately saying her name was Judith Helms (l believe) and that I could look up her RN or badge
neither of which I challenged. I said politely that I would leave since she has asked. Donetta Davidson arrived at the same time as Ms. Helms.
Donetta Davidsgn observed this and then aceused me of violatinq HIPAA laws and said that was a felony. (She had not been uB on that floor befere this
so she had no personal observation of what went on). I left the building and went outside for a phone call. By the way, Ms. Helms never said to leave the
pus. She only said to leave now and I took that to mean that building.
20 or 25 minutes later, after l'd had my lunch in my car and made some calls, I returned to the main buildinq to go back to the vote center in the
and take some pictures of the voting area down there. Donetta Davidson was sitting outside the building when I walked up and she jumped
and in a shocked voice exclaimed, "You're back!" and then said that "they'wouldn't allow me to go in there. I asked "who won't allow me to go
e?" and she said something about "the administration"
proceeded to the Reception area to go to the elevator to go down to the vote center room in the basement and was stopped by the same Receptionist
Page 2 of3