In Mesa County, Colorado, a troubling scandal has emerged that challenges the prevailing narrative from leftist media asserting that “voter fraud doesn’t exist.” Allegations have surfaced suggesting that over a dozen mailed ballots were intercepted and filled out fraudulently prior to being received by the intended voters. This serious breach has incited a criminal investigation, with the alarming revelation that three of these fraudulent ballots were inadvertently counted before the tampering was detected. Historically, conservative voices have raised concerns about voter fraud, frequently being dismissed by the mainstream media and liberal commentators as conspiracy theorists. The gravity of the situation has even forced Colorado’s Secretary of State, Jena Griswold, known for her assertion that “Colorado is the Gold Standard of Election,” to acknowledge substantial irregularities in the election process within the state.
Secretary Griswold reported that the state’s Department of State became aware of the fraudulent activity on a Tuesday, as election officials were conducting their routine signature verification process. The intercepted ballots had been signed and returned via standard U.S. Postal Service blue mailboxes rather than official ballot drop boxes, highlighting a significant vulnerability in the electoral system. Griswold disclosed that at least four of these ballots passed through state signature checks undetected, with three being counted before the clerical errors were corrected. Additionally, several voters reported receiving notifications from the state’s BallotTrax system indicating their ballots were received, only for them to discover they never actually received any ballots.
The manipulative tactics employed to execute this fraud raise serious concerns about the integrity of Colorado’s elections, which were previously considered to be robustly secure. Investigations revealed that some of the intercepted ballots bore signatures of the same individual, suggesting a coordinated effort to undermine the voting process. Following the detection of these fraudulent ballots, Mesa County Clerk Bobbie Gross escalated the matter to the 21st Judicial District Attorney’s office, which is now responsible for conducting the criminal investigation.
Despite the unfolding investigation, Secretary Griswold attempted to minimize the situation’s severity by reiterating the narrative of Colorado’s election security. She praised the state’s advanced technology, which led to the prompt identification of the irregularities, stating, “What we also know is that Colorado’s elections are safe and secure, and this attempt at fraud was found and investigated quickly due to the groundbreaking tools that we have here.” Nonetheless, for many conservative critics, her reassurances seemed inadequate in light of the successful fraudulent activity that went undetected initially. This raises significant questions about the potential for further undetected fraud elsewhere within Colorado’s voting framework.
Clerk Gross expressed her concerns regarding the premature public statements made by Secretary Griswold, warning that such disclosures might compromise the integrity of the ongoing investigation. She stated, “While we understand the Secretary of State’s desire to make public statements, this is our community and our investigation.” Gross emphasized the importance of following procedural protocols to ensure a thorough and effective investigation without alerting the perpetrators involved. She called for transparency and accountability while underscoring the necessity to protect the investigation’s integrity.
Matt Crane, the executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, expressed disbelief at the developments, noting that in his two decades of overseeing elections, he had never encountered a situation like this. The U.S. Postal Service has also initiated its own investigation regarding how the ballots were unlawfully intercepted. This scandal has sparked discussions about election security in Mesa County and across the state, prompting calls for further scrutiny and potential reform to ensure the integrity of future elections.
