John Suthers (R)
DENVER, Colo. (Legal Newsline)-Thousands of Colorado voters whose names were removed from state records should not be reinstated, state Attorney General John Suthers said in court papers this week.
Last week, Colorado Common Cause, Mi Familia Vota Education Fund and the Service Employees International Union sued Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman after the state removed nearly 27,000 names from voter registration rolls within 90 days of a federal general election.
The groups alleged violations of the National Voter Registration Act.
Suthers said Tuesday that those voters' registrations should not be reactivated.
He said names were removed for such reasons as being registered more than once. He also said convicted felons and people who had died had to be removed from voter rolls.
Coffman was accused of removing the names of 3,291 voters because election notices that were sent to them were returned by the Postal Service as undeliverable within 20 days after they registered.
The attorney general said those voters who were stricken from the rolls can cast provisional ballots that will be counted if the voters can present an address that matches the one listed on their voter applications.
"In short, no eligible Colorado voter will be denied the right to cast a ballot in this election and have it counted," Suthers wrote.
From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.