Week 16: How's the campaign going?

Dear Colorado Voter,

A frequent question I get is, "How's the campaign going?" At first, I would say, "What metric should I use to answer that question?" More recently, I respond, "I think I'm supposed to hand you a contribution envelope" and proceed to do so.

I'm an advocate for better elections. I'm not a professional candidate. I'm having a fantastic time traveling the state and learning more about Colorado's amazing diversity. From Meeker to Holyoke, from Dove Creek to Castle Rock, I'm learning about different counties' election needs. One size doesn't fit all when it comes to election laws!

Campaigning and serving in office are two very different activities. I'd like to be a boring, but exceptionally competent, Secretary of State. I want to be collaborative and innovative, nonpartisan and trustworthy. Did you know that before our current election drama and polarization, Colorado piloted post-election risk-limiting audits (RLAs)? Our RLAs have become a model for other states!

Candidates are expected to rile up the voters. Other candidates talk about Donald Trump and Tina Peters. I want to rile up voters by talking about our state legislature prohibiting – for the first time in American history! – voters in the "wrong" political party from participating in the final (not primary) election. This issue is "in the weeds," but it concerns our all-important Right to Vote and could affect every corner of the state in 2027. The other candidates are mum on these one-party elections. One candidate co-sponsored the bills authorizing these unconstitutional elections.

As a candidate, I try to accurately use terms like ballot access, democracy, majority, and primary election. I avoid using the RCV (ranked-choice voting) label; it's so confusing that we published an LWV "What Is RCV Anyway?" article under my byline in Fulcrum: https://thefulcrum.us/electoral-reforms/what-is-ranked-choice-voting-2106755 — Yet, I'm happy to discuss ranking, scoring and approval voting methods for hours if you'll let me. And shall we talk about Condorcet [pronounced "con-door-say"] voting methods?

As Mandy Connell said in our radio interview, I don't have "platitudes" on my website. Instead, I put my record out there. For example, I worked to protect our election integrity by limiting electronic voting to rare, but important, situations.

Anything you can do to help me build my (nontraditional) campaign and help me get my message out there is much appreciated!

With enthusiasm and purpose,

Celeste