(DailyAnswer.org) – Election officials in Mesa County, Colorado, have launched an investigation after discovering that at least 12 mail-in ballots for the 2024 election were stolen and submitted fraudulently. Some of the stolen ballots were even counted as legitimate votes before the fraud was detected.
The issue was flagged on Tuesday in Mesa County, a Republican-leaning area in western Colorado, thanks to signature verification procedures. One of the stolen ballots was caught after a voter checked the status of their ballot online. The voter found that it had already been cast, even though they had never received it.
“We are committed to protecting the integrity of our elections,” said Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Bobbie Gross, a Republican. “This investigation is a top priority, and we are working hard to uncover what happened.”
According to NBC, three of the fraudulent ballots were counted as valid votes and cannot be undone. However, the voters affected will still be allowed to cast new ballots. Reports indicate that although the ballots were flagged by signature verification, they were mistakenly approved by an election judge. That judge has since been removed from their position.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, addressed the situation, calling it “unfortunate” but emphasizing that the election system ultimately worked as intended. Officials did not disclose who the stolen ballots were marked for.
Griswold’s announcement of the investigation on Thursday has drawn criticism from Clerk Gross, who warned that releasing too many details too soon could interfere with the local criminal investigation.
“Our priority is to conduct a careful and thorough investigation,” Gross said. “While we understand the Secretary of State’s desire to inform the public, we have to ensure that we hold those responsible accountable without jeopardizing the process.”
Mesa County has already processed over 27,000 votes so far, a significant number in a county that supported former President Donald Trump by nearly 30 points in 2020. The investigation remains ongoing, with local officials promising transparency when appropriate.
Gross urged the public to remain patient. “We will share updates as soon as it’s responsible to do so,” she said. “The people of Mesa County deserve honesty and fairness.”
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