State election workers can no longer participate in political campaigns or partisan organizations, under a new policy announced today by Secretary of State Mike Coffman.
The policy restricting political activity outside the office comes after a state election employee – and Coffman campaign worker – was accused of selling voter data through a personal website.
“I recognize that this policy should have been implemented on January 9, day one of my administration,” Coffman said. “I take full responsibility for this policy not being in place prior to today.”
Chantell Taylor, director of Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government, called Coffman’s announcement “redundant and definitely too little, too late.”
“It appears that Coffman is trying to come out as the hero in this situation,” she said. “The reality is he needs to take responsibility for not enforcing the rules that we already have on the books.”
State law and personnel rules require employees to report political conflicts of interest and prohibit misuse of state data.
Effective today, state elections workers cannot endorse, oppose or work for a candidate for a partisan office or a statewide ballot initiative.
They cannot contribute money to a partisan organization or candidate, and they cannot attend precinct caucuses or conventions to select candidates.
Coffman said he would adhere to the same restrictions regarding endorsing or contributing to partisan campaigns.
The office contacted other secretaries of state around the country before developing the policy.
The policy gives Colorado some of the toughest standards in the country, requiring every employee who works in elections to sign a form consenting to the restrictions, said Coffman spokesman Jonathan Tee.
Last week, Coffman docked the pay of elections technology manager Daniel Kopelman and prohibited him from participating in any outside business without permission. Kopelman also was removed from work on the re-certification of electronic voting systems.
Coffman said an initial probe by his office found that Kopelman conducted outside activities “incompatible” with his job. But he said he found no evidence Kopelman wrongfully accessed or sold state data.
State Democratic Party chairwoman Pat Waak has called on Coffman, a Republican, to fire Kopelman after the website epluribusmedia.org reported that he was offering to sell campaign data through his politicallivewires.com website to Republican candidates.
The state auditor’s office is investigating.
Staff writer Jennifer Brown can be reached at 303-954-1593 or jenbrown@denverpost.com.
