Gigi Dennis took the oath of her new office Monday at the state Capitol, becoming the 34th Colorado secretary of state and the second to be appointed by Gov. Bill Owens.
Dennis, a former Republican state senator from Pueblo County who now lives in Littleton, took over as the state’s top elections official with 36 days remaining before the Nov. 1 vote.
Dennis replaces Owens-appointee Donetta Davidson, who left in August to join the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Dennis said she understood her obligation to preserve the integrity of elections in the state.
“I hope to inspire that public confidence by working diligently at the responsibilities you have bestowed on me today,” she said during her swearing-in ceremony in the Old Supreme Court Chambers.
In some ways, now – a campaign season dominated by the budget-policy questions of Referendums C and D, with no statewide candidates on the ballot – is an opportune time for Dennis to take over, Republican election lawyer Richard Westfall said.
“This is not a general election,” he said. “It’s the perfect opportunity for her to get her feet underneath her and see how it works.”
Owens appointed Davidson to the office in 1999, after the death of Vikki Buckley. Davidson went on to win election in 2000 and re-election in 2002.
Pete Maysmith of the good-government advocacy group Colorado Common Cause said he hopes Dennis will look for ways to increase voter participation – by improving her office’s website, expanding the list of ID forms accepted at polling places and supporting reform for recent legislation governing voter-registration drives.
Staff writer Jim Hughes can be reached at 303-820-1244 or jhughes@denverpost.com.
