Week 15: Wanted: Nonpartisan Election Officials

Dear Colorado Voter,

If you visit or follow me on social media – and I recommend that you do! – then you saw this May 24th post: Boring Election Officials, Please! – Kevin Johnson of Election Reformers Network (ERN) talks on Democracy Lab with host Eveline Dowling (who I know from her Boulder days) about ERN's efforts to encourage nonpartisan election administration. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-we-need-boring-election-officials/id1851286602

I am scheduled to speak with Kevin Johnson this week. Meanwhile, if you go to this page https://www.electionreformers.org/articles/guardrails-for-the-guardians , ERN reports on Sec of States' conflicts of interest – from running their own elections to using the Sec of State position as a launchpad to run for another political office. "No other democracy in the world selects its most senior election officials in this [politically partisan] manner."

I'm running to serve all Coloradans, regardless of party affiliation or lack of affiliation. I'm not interested in protecting a political party or serving in another office. I'm a "nonpartisan" candidate running under the Forward Party banner. Why don't I call myself an independent? An independent may express strong opinions. As a nonpartisan Secretary of State, I would do as I did on a recent survey and stay silent on policy questions not related to being Secretary of State.

The Forward Party has a values-driven platform. Except for being pro-democracy and pro-election reform, the Forward Party doesn't really take policy positions. Rather, it asks its candidates to be ethical, accountable, and transparent; to work collaboratively with members of all political parties; and to make data-driven decisions. You can read the Forward Party pledge here: https://www.forwardparty.com/pledge/ — The Forward Party podcast at https://www.forwardparty.com/podcast/ features fascinating guests and lively conversations.

Two more notes:

• I recommend Max Fisher's 26-minute video "Most US Elections Don't Count" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJefxb2dSMY

• Tomorrow is the end of another campaign finance reporting period. I'm hoping to maintain my status as the candidate with the third-highest fundraising total, behind the two Democrats but ahead of the Republican. Our totals for the reporting period ending two weeks ago were $320K (Dem1), $191K (Dem2), $26K (me) and $13K (R). [Note: In my May 5 email to all of you, I accidentally gave Dem1 extra funds, writing $350K instead of $305K. My mistake!]

With enthusiasm and purpose,

Celeste