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Cecelia Espenoza (i) Democrat
Residence: Denver
Profession: Former Immigration Judge, Attorney, and Law Professor
Education: JD, University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law BA Political Science, University of Utah
Experience: Immigration attorney, Federal Judge, Law Professor, U.S. Department of Justice Senior Counsel, and former National Hispana Leadership Institute Board Chair
What are your top three priorities, if elected?
When elected my top three priorities will be protecting Coloradans’ privacy, defining clear standards for artificial intelligence, and upholding transparency in criminal justice and public safety. My goal is to focus on practical solutions that protect our rights, keep communities informed, and make the government more transparent and accountable.
What specific actions would you support to improve affordability for Coloradans, whether aimed at housing costs, tax burdens or other impacts?
Housing costs and an insufficient housing stock adversely affects the ability for people to obtain the dream of owning a home. I previously worked with the County Clerks to encourage the creation of monthly escrow type payments to spread out property tax payments. I will continue to work on solutions to expand home ownership. I would like to extend the homestead portability credit to assist homeowners in downsizing which in turn will increase the housing stock for families.
Whether your party is in the majority or minority next year, where do you see actionable common ground with the opposing party?
I see actionable common ground in protecting privacy and public safety. We can work across party lines to increase transparency and accountability in law enforcement technology while protecting victims, families, and communities affected by serious crimes. These are issues where transparency, accountability, and justice should come before partisan politics. I believe we can find practical solutions that respect individual rights, support law enforcement, and ensure victims and their families are treated with dignity.
A new governor will take office next year. What opportunities are there for legislation or other changes that did not gain traction under Gov. Jared Polis?
A new governor could create an opportunity to move forward legislation on artificial intelligence that did not gain traction under Gov. Polis. I would support continuing to define AI in state law, setting clear standards for its use, and requiring transparency when government or law enforcement uses it. This is especially important when AI is used in police reports or other decisions that can affect people’s rights. We can put practical guardrails in place that protect privacy and individual rights while still allowing Colorado to benefit from new technology.
Ellwood Ervin and Bill Hare did not return the questionnaire.
