County Clerk Lori Mitchell Showcases Ballot Processing Room Improvements

Posted By: Dan R September 13, 2021

The Chaffee County Clerk’s Office is celebrating the completion of substantial renovations to their ballot processing room at 104 Crestone in Salida.

The upgrades will provide a more open flow during elections and allow for clear visual monitoring of all ballot processing operations.

Chaffee County Clerk Lori Mitchell recognized during the 2020 general election that the configuration of the ballot processing space was not optimal for the election management workflow nor was it ideal to accommodate COVID social distancing precautions. In January 2021, she initiated a renovation of areas within the courthouse basement to create a larger, open space where all ballot processing steps could be performed in the same room. The newly renovated space will also better accommodate more bipartisan election watcher volunteers. Additionally, Mitchell has invested in hardware upgrades, including a new video recording system with 4 closed-circuit cameras and large-screen displays for elections judges to monitor streaming surveillance video. 

“The integrity and transparency of our elections have always been top priorities. We know there were some major issues with the video system in the 2020 election and so we’ve made system-wide improvements to ensure every facet of the elections process, including the video surveillance system, is exceptionally strong for the 2021 election and beyond,” shared Mitchell.

The Clerk’s Office has also contracted with an elections specialist to provide additional support during the 2021 election cycle. This specialist is the past Executive Director of the Colorado County Clerk’s Association and brings >15 years of local government elections expertise in Jefferson County, Colorado. Clerk Mitchell has also requested an on-site physical security assessment of the Chaffee County facilities from the Colorado Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to further evaluate the building and offices utilized for elections.

Clerk Mitchell will be offering in-person tours of the upgraded ballot processing space on Wednesday, September 15th at 9 am, and Thursday, September 16th at 3 pm. Pre-registration through the Clerk’s Office is required. Group sizes will be limited due to COVID precautions and all participants will be required to wear a face mask while indoors. Contact the Clerk’s Office at 719-530-5604 for more information and to reserve a spot on the tour.

Dan R
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