DENVER, Colo. (KOAA) — The Attorney General's Office of Colorado says that two people who were circulating petitions to get the school choice initiative on the ballot in Colorado during the 2024 election have been indicted for submitting fraudulent signatures.
Attorney General Weiser said in a news release that the two people, Cherell Long of Nevada and Martin Arellano of Texas, were working as paid circulators with a Colorado Springs-based canvassing company, Victor's Canvassing, LLC.
“Petition circulators who submit fraudulent signatures to the state to put a candidate or initiative on the ballot must be held accountable for their unlawful conduct. We are committed to protecting our elections and safeguarding the process for petitioning onto the ballot,” said Attorney General Weiser in a news release.
The grand jury indictment, which was returned on April 16, stated that the two individuals were part of the ongoing efforts of petitioners working in Southern Colorado to get the School Choice Initiative on the November 2024 ballot.
Both of the people involved appeared before a notary and swore at the time under penalty of perjury that their petitions they submitted were valid.
The internal post-review of the signatures by the Colorado Secretary of State's Office found concerns about several signatures not matching voter files, as well as several signatures of deceased voters, or those who had cancelled their registration.
Those advocating for school choice submitted more than 190,000 signatures in total, and of that, 131,000 were found to be valid, still reaching the threshold needed for Amendment 80 to have made the ballot.
Both Arellano and Long are charged with one count each of the following:
- attempt to influence a public servant, a class 4 felony
- elections forgery, a class 5 felony
- forgery, a class 5 felony
- perjury, a class 2 misdemeanor
Anyone who may have information a bout the whereabouts of Long and Arrelano is asked to call their local law enforcement agency.
In Colorado, a grand jury indictment is a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime under Colorado law. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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