Ritter Signs Voting Machine Recertification Bill

Gov. Bill Ritter signed into law Monday a bill that will allow Secretary of State Mike Coffman to re-test electronic voting machines used around the state.

Coffman had ruled the machines unreliable, and therefore unavailable for use in elections in the state this year, in mid-December.

HB 1155 had broad bipartisan support in both chambers of the General Assembly.

HB 1155 Headed to Ritter

The House agreed to Senate amendments to HB 1155, the bill that authorizes the Secretary of State to re-test electronic voting machines, Tuesday.

The bill is now on the way to Gov. Bill Ritter's desk.

Electronic Vote Machine Re-Test Bill Moves On

The bill allowing Secretary of State Mike Coffman would be able to re-test electronic voting machines passed a Senate committee Monday, continuing its fast track to the Governor.

HB 1155 would not change the standards set by current law for recertification of electronic voting machines. Instead, it would open the door for county elections administrators to be involved in testing of the machines. That, in turn, would permit the Secretary of State to consider their procedures and experience when deciding whether the machines produce results that are accurate and secure.

The State, Veterans and Military Affairs committee amended the bill to make clear that re-certified machines could be used only in elections conducted in 2008 and 2009before they would have to be tested again.

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, and David Balmer, R-Centennial, and Sens. Ken Gordon, D-Denver, and Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, now moves to the Senate floor.