Editor’s note: This represents the opinion of The Denver Post editorial board, which is separate from the paper’s news operation. Newspaper endorsements in elections have a long history of helping readers vet candidates in a thoughtful and transparent way.
The two Democrats running for Colorado Secretary of State are extremely close competitors when it comes to their experience, their understanding of election law and their dedication to ensuring the transparency of campaign finance information.
But state Sen. Jessie Danielson stands out for her vision for the office, her election reform chops and her earnest pledge to work with all of Colorado’s 64 election clerks.
“The counties across the state and the other elections administrators, whether they are municipal or tribal … they really need someone in this role who in a genuine way prioritizes their needs ,” Danielson told us, explaining that throughout her campaign she has traveled to rural counties in Colorado to meet face to face with election officials. “I do intend to win this race, and I don’t want to lose a year of understanding what it is a clerk in Sawatch needs versus a clerk in La Plata or Morgan or Denver … you’ve got to sit and listen.”The Denver Post Editorial Board met with both candidates competing in the June 30 Democratic Party primary, reviewed their resumes, listened to public forums and spoke to some of the state’s top election officials. Republican candidate James Wiley is uncontested in the primary, but there will be a Libertarian Party primary between Sean Vadney and Alex Astley. Colorado voters who are unaffiliated can pick which primary to cast their ballot in.
Danielson’s record impressed us.
Her opponent, Amanda Gonzalez, Jefferson County’s elected clerk and recorder, does have direct experience running elections, something Danielson lacks. Gonzalez has managed five elections over three years in Jefferson County. We could see how voters could be drawn to that record.
We also heard from leaders in Colorado’s elections, who asked not to be named, that Gonzalez’s effort to launch a clerk’s association for metro-area clerks would have diluted the voices of rural Colorado areas. We fear Gonzalez might have an uphill battle to win back the trust of some clerks.
But for 11 years – first as a representative and then as a senator – Danielson worked at the General Assembly to pass dozens of election-related laws. She demonstrated an incredible depth of knowledge of the rules that govern this state’s elections and would be adept at helping local election officials implement them for clean and precise elections.
In 2019, Danielson worked with three Democrats to pass a law creating an automatic voter registration process in Colorado, leading to increased voter registrations and participation.
Danielson was a prime sponsor of the Voting Rights for Voters with Disabilities Act that allowed electronic transmission of ballots for disabled voters. She has fought for laws that improved voting access for Colorado’s indigenous tribes.
Before she was elected, Danielson worked as the Colorado director of America Votes, a 501(c)4 that pushed along with other progressive organizations for Colorado to adopt same-day voter registration, several days of in-person early voting, and an all-mail ballot system reliant on voter service centers rather than neighborhood precincts.
The legislation passed in 2013 has been a resounding success.
Colorado’s election process is always growing and improving, too, and a willingness to make necessary changes for security, voter access and transparency is a key quality we were looking for in the next secretary of state. Danielson said she has helped with the annual “cleanup” bill at the state legislature to do that important work.
We asked both Gonzalez and Danielson if they would be willing to reconsider rules that allow Coloradans to register to vote using only a utility bill. Both candidates said no, explaining that they didn’t want to disenfranchise voters who didn’t have a Social Security number or any other form of photo ID or a birth certificate. Even though voters who use utility bills must register in person and complete an address verification process, we think it is far too easy for an AI system to quickly generate a fake utility bill for a fake person at a vacant house for this loophole to remain. Certainly, a creative method exists to help voters without any form of identification get essential paperwork that will help them in other aspects of their lives, too. The small change will lead to big gains when it comes to faith in our election system.
The next Secretary of State must be proactive in hammering down President Donald Trump’s pernicious lies about our election system. Trump does not offer thoughtful critiques of our election laws; he paints the whole system as fraudulent and insists that Democrats hacked election hardware and software in 2020 so he would lose.
Just this election cycle, we have interviewed candidates running for office who seemed surprised when we told them that hand-counted audits of Colorado’s paper ballot system routinely verify correct tabulation by electronic vote-counting machines. Also, records of voters who cast ballots (including their addresses) are open to public scrutiny. Colorado’s paper ballot system is also open for inspection under Colorado’s Open Records laws. Trump’s conspiracy theory holds no water.
Both Gonzalaz and Danielson are ready to fight back against Trump’s attack on democracy, and we appreciate their bravery in the face of the threats and harassment faced by our election officials.
Colorado needs a strong secretary of state who will cloak themselves in non-partisan facts. Danielson learned to be a tough leader at the state Capitol, and we trust her to head this important state-wide office at a critical time for democracy.
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