DENVER (AP) — Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler says 16 people out of the nearly 4,000 he sent letters to questioning their citizenship and right to vote have withdrawn themselves from the rolls because they're ineligible voters.
Despite the small number, the Republican elections chief says it's a worthy exercise to ensure voter lists are accurate.
Gessler said Thursday his goal is to make it easy to vote but tough to cheat.
Democratic critics question his political motivation, since Colorado is expected to be a closely watched presidential battleground in the upcoming election.
Gessler says 177 names out of 1,400 that were checked through a federal immigration database are pending verification of citizenship. Election officials want to hold hearings to challenge those whose citizenship is still in doubt.
