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CO-3 voters tell county clerk they're being harassed to cure ballots

The Pueblo County Clerk said one young voter told him the calls and door knocks are too much, and she may not vote in the future.

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. — Voters are telling the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder that national groups are harassing them to fix issues with their ballots so they can be counted in the close race for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District. 

Pueblo County Clerk Gilbert "Bo" Ortiz said one young voter told him the calls and door knocks are too much, and she may not want to vote in the future. 

"They are in a frenzy that is created by this close vote," Ortiz said. 

RELATED: US House race between Lauren Boebert, Adam Frisch is still extremely tight

In October, the Colorado Secretary of State's Office appointed someone else to supervise the election in Pueblo County, citing numerous errors by Ortiz.

A week after the election, the race is on to get every vote counted in the district, which includes parts of western and southern Colorado. Some voters are getting nonstop calls.

"They feel like they are being ostracized or put out because their signature didn't match and now they are being harassed to get their signature cured," Ortiz said. 

As of Friday, 369 voters in Pueblo County could still fix – or cure – their ballots. 

RELATED: What is ballot curing, and how does it work?

"As soon as they call them they are asking them, 'How did you vote? Did you vote for Boebert or Frisch?'" Ortiz said. "If it is not the candidate they want, they hang up with them."

Republican candidate Lauren Boebert and Democratic candidate Adam Frisch are separated by 1,122 votes as of Friday. Voters have until the end of the business day Wednesday to cure their ballots. 

"A person showed up at someone's house twice in two days knocking on their door asking if they could get their ballot cured," Ortiz said. "We want your ballot to count. We want every vote on that ballot to count and we want you to be able to do that without being harassed."

RELATED: With race against Lauren Boebert undecided, Adam Frisch attends House orientation

Ortiz is worried the frenzy to count every vote may be too much. 

"My concern is are they turning voters off from voting in future elections by being rude," Ortiz said.

Campaigns can contact voters to get them to cure their ballots. However, knowing a voter's party affiliation doesn't tell the campaign who they voted for. It's possible that helping a voter fix their ballot could give a vote to the candidate's opponent.

SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Colorado 2022 elections


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