Denver Office of the Clerk and Recorder

ACCESO Spanish Language Voting Advisory Board supports Clerk Johnson's decision to mail ballots to inactive failed to vote voters.

ACCESO is the Spanish word for "access." It is also the informal name for the Elections Division's Spanish Language Voting Advisory Board.

This group was formed to assist the Clerk and Recorder and the Elections Director in their outreach efforts to Denver's limited-English, Spanish-speaking citizens. Central goals include making voting materials more accessible, ensuring an adequate number of Spanish-speaking poll workers, and increasing voting participation. 

 
Meetings 

ACCESO generally meets on a monthly basis leading up to general and local elections. The board may schedule additional meetings, and provides notices of all meetings in accordance with the Denver open meetings ordinance.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at the Metro Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 924 West Colfax Avenue at 5:30 p.m. Meetings are open to the public.

The federal Voting Rights Act of 1973 mandates that when more than five percent of the county population speaks another language and has limited English skills, the county must provide bilingual election materials and information. In 2002, the City and County of Denver met that threshold for Spanish speakers, and formed the original Spanish Language Advisory Board (SLAB) at that time.  

In 2008, newly elected Clerk and Recorder Stephanie O’Malley built upon the efforts of SLAB, creating the ACCESO Spanish-Language Voter Advisory Board. In 2009, wanting to give the board permanence and a more formal structure, Clerk O’Malley collaborated on and backed an ordinance to formally establish the committee. The ACCESO ordinance took effect January 11, 2010. The first ACCESO board members were appointed in July 2010. Members then elected its own officers.