A. Election judges shall compare signatures on the self-affirmation return envelope with signatures of the eligible electors obtained from the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder registration records.
B. If, upon comparing the signature of an eligible elector, election judges determine that the signatures do not match, the return envelope shall be separated. The City Clerk shall send to the eligible elector written correspondence explaining the discrepancy in signatures and a form for the elector to confirm that a ballot was returned. The elector may either submit by electronic means, fax or bring the form, accompanied by a copy of the elector's identification to the Office of the City Clerk no later than the close of business on the eighth day after the election. If the ballot is otherwise valid, the ballot shall be counted. If the elector returns the form indicating that the elector did not return a ballot to the City Clerk or if the elector fails to return the form, the self-affirmation on the return envelope shall be categorized as incorrect, the ballot shall not be counted, and if in the opinion of the City Clerk fraud is suspected, the City Clerk may forward copies of the eligible elector's signature on the return envelope and the elector's signature obtained from the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder to the City Attorney and Colorado Springs Police Department for criminal investigation.
C. If the return envelope received from an eligible elector described in subsection 5.1.116E of this part does not contain identification, the return envelope shall be separated and the City Clerk shall send to the eligible elector written correspondence explaining the discrepancy. The elector may either submit by electronic means, fax or bring a copy of the elector's identification to the Office of the City Clerk no later than the close of business on the eighth day after the election. If the ballot is otherwise valid, the ballot shall be counted. If the elector does not submit a copy of the required identification, the ballot shall be invalid and not counted.
D. If election judges determine that the signature of an eligible elector on the return envelope matches the elector's signature obtained from the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder the mail ballot contained in the return envelope shall follow the procedures specified in sections 5.1.118 and 5.1.123 of this part concerning the qualification and counting of mail ballots.
E. If the self-affirmation on the return envelope has not been signed by the elector, the City Clerk shall attempt to contact the elector by sending a letter, by electronic means or by telephone to provide the elector the opportunity to appear in the Office of the City Clerk to sign the affirmation. The City Clerk may also send to the eligible elector written correspondence explaining the unsigned ballot affirmation and a form for the elector to provide the required ballot affirmation signature. The elector may either submit by electronic means, fax or bring the form, accompanied by a copy of the elector's identification to the Office of the City Clerk no later than the close of business on the eighth day after the election. After the elector signs the affirmation, or returns a signed affirmation with identification, the mail ballot shall be qualified and counted. If the elector does not sign the affirmation, and does not return a signed affirmation with identification, the ballot shall be invalid and not counted. Failure of the City Clerk to reach the elector shall not be grounds for a challenge of the rejection of the unsigned ballot.
F. An election judge shall not determine that the signature of an eligible elector on the self-affirmation does not match the signature of that eligible elector on file with the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder solely on the basis of substitution of initials or use of a common nickname.
G. After the canvass, recount, counting period has expired, an original return envelope with a voted ballot that is not counted shall be stored for archiving in the Office of the City Clerk in a secure location separate from valid return envelopes in the same manner as described in section 5.1.125 of this part, and may be removed only under the authority of the City Attorney or by order of the District Court.
H. The City Clerk shall provide training in the technique and standards of signature comparison to election judges who compare signatures pursuant to this section. (Ord. 16-102; Ord. 20-63)