Mike Coffman spent his last day as Colorado’s secretary of state Wednesday before heading off to a 600-square-foot apartment in Washington and a newly won seat in Congress.
Coffman, a Republican, resigned the position as the state’s chief elections officer midway through his first term after winning Colorado’s 6th Congressional District race in November. In his last act as secretary of state Wednesday, Coffman sent a letter to the state’s county clerks, congratulating them on a successful 2008 election.
“People were pretty stressed out, in this office and at the county level,” Coffman said of the election, which he lists among his proudest achievements. “But we managed to pull it off.”
Coffman’s appointed successor as secretary of state, Democratic state lawmaker Bernie Buescher, is making plans for when he takes over sometime this month, after being confirmed by the legislature, which begins this year’s session Wednesday.
Buescher said he wants to strengthen relationships with the 64 county clerks, which were sometimes strained in the past year as Coffman and the clerks disagreed over issues including certification of voting machines. Buescher said he plans to attend the county clerks’ annual meeting next week in Pueblo.
“I am intent on developing a good line of communication,” Buescher said.
Buescher will face challenges resolving voting-machine certification issues and navigating between calls for greater state control of election administration and those for more local control.
Coffman recommended Buescher start his time in office by visiting all clerks’ offices, as Coffman did before the 2008 election.
“It’s a long process, but it’s worth it,” Coffman said. “You get a greater appreciation for the differences in Colorado.”
Coffman said he planned to use his experience as secretary of state to push for sensible, consistent election laws in Congress. But first, he said, he still has a little unfinished business in Colorado.
“I’m going to come back and finish up over the weekend,” he said, nodding toward his file-and-box cluttered office. “Just cleaning and packing everything up.”
John Ingold: 303-954-1068 or jingold@denverpost.com
