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Metro Area Has Half Of Possible Non-Citizen Voters

DENVER (AP) - Arapahoe, Denver, and Adams counties have half of the nearly 4,000 registered voters that Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler suspects may be non-citizens and therefore ineligible to vote.

Gessler mailed letters last week to the registered voters suspected of being non-citizens asking them to voluntarily withdraw their registrations. Gessler's office says Arapahoe has the most with 823, followed by Denver with 771, and Adams with 377.

Other counties with large numbers include Boulder with 363 and El Paso with 287.

Gessler says letters were mailed to people who once showed proof they were not citizens, such as a green card, when applying for a driver's license. He won't release the names of people he mailed letters to.

Critics of Gessler's idea worry eligible voters will be blocked from voting.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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