News Release

Ballot Fraud Scheme Under Investigation in Mesa County

Denver, October 24, 2024 - The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office is monitoring a developing situation in Mesa County, Colorado regarding intercepted ballots.  

On Tuesday, October 23, the Department of State learned that at least 12 ballots appear to have been intercepted before reaching voters. Those ballots were voted and then returned to the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder via USPS mailboxes. This issue was flagged during Colorado’s secure signature verification process.

Several of the affected voters contacted the Mesa County Clerk’s office after receiving communication that their ballot required curing due to a discrepant signature. One affected voter notified the Mesa County Clerk after they received notification through BallotTrax that their ballots had been received for processing by the Mesa County Clerk. BallotTrax is Colorado’s statewide tracking and notification system that lets voters who’ve signed up know where their ballot is.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold has issued the following statement: 

“Colorado’s elections are safe and secure. This attempt at fraud was found and investigated quickly because of all the trailblazing processes and tools Colorado has in place like signature verification, ballot tracking, and the curing process. Every eligible Colorado voter will be able to make their voice heard this election.”

The Mesa County District Attorney's Office has been alerted and is investigating.

Every voter impacted by this will have the opportunity to make their voice heard in the 2024 General Election.

As of 11:59 P.M. on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, 27,625 ballots have been counted in Mesa County.