State Rep. Susan Beckman of Littleton, who lost an election by fewer than 10 votes to lead the Colorado Republican Party, has issued a detailed report calling the GOP voting process “troubling” and marred by “flagrant abuse” of rules and expected election practices.
Beckman’s report, obtained by a source, spotlights seven core “issues,” which include:
“More “clicker” voting devices activated and voted than SCC members credentialed… Teller Committee added voting members without SCC amending credentials… Proxies were accepted after meeting “Called to Order….Total SCC voting membership calculated incorrectly….Vote totals reported in percentages, not number of votes… Meeting records requested by Beckman campaign prior to Meeting were ‘lost’… Relevant documents withheld from Beckman campaign until after SOS filing deadline.”
Among the most serous allegations, given U.S. Rep. Ken Buck’s narrow margin of victory, is Beckman’s contention that 18 more voting “clickers” were issued than the number of eligible voters present (Only State Central Committee members were allowed to vote.), and Beckman’s contention that 27 proxy votes were accepted in violation of election rules.
“The final accepted Credentials Report adopted by a vote of the SCC reflected the number of eligible voting members present that day was 394, in conflict with the number of 412 clickers that were activated and utilized in voting (as reflected in the vendor clicker report),” states Beckman’s report.
Buck prevailed over Beckman after a third candidate, El Paso Republican Vice Chair Sherrie Gibson, endorsed Buck. Denver Trump Chair Steve Barlock was also a contender, but garnered little support.
Beckman repeatedly points to an alleged unwillingness by Republican Party leaders to address the issues she raises in the report, including problems with proxy voting.
She quotes an April 10 email from then GOP Chair Jeff Hays stating:
“The nature of these types of meetings is that once they are completed and the final gavel falls, they are over. There are no stipulations in statute, in our bylaws, standing rules, or in Roberts Rules of Order to retain or re-examine election data after the meeting is over. Once the election is done, its done.” ——-And “The inadvertent, early disposal of a number of proxy forms was an unfortunate accident.”
“Yes, it was unfortunate,” Beckman responds at the end of the report.
She concludes by stating her apparent belief that the Republican rules favor establishment GOP candidates over grassroots representatives like her.
“It is important to note that during the election day there is a great deal of responsibility placed on the non-establishment candidate to watch for anomalies that would cause the campaign to challenge the election–on the spot. I never did expect, nor did I have the capacity to stop such flagrant abuse and violation of CRC Bylaws, Standing Meeting Rules, best practices and transparency.”
Beckman did not immediately return a call for comment.