As most reading Colorado Open Threads will know, former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters was sentenced on October 3, 2024. The judge, recognizing the gravity of the harm of her crimes, pronounced the penalty of six months for three misdemeanors and eight and a half years for four felonies, a period of parole, and a small fine. She was taken into custody immediately after the sentencing hearing, removed to the Mesa County Detention Center, and had a standard intake process for a misdemeanor conviction. If her expected appeals do not produce a change, she will be transferred to a state prison and begin consecutive sentences for four felonies.
How does Colorado go about recovering from the consequences of the “Stop the Steal” conspiracy stories? What steps are needed to build faith, maintain vigilance, and respond to challenges to our civic process of choosing leaders?
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold responded to the sentencing:
“Tina Peters has been sentenced to nine years of incarceration for her dangerous attempts to break into her own election equipment to prove Trump’s 'Big Lie.' We will not allow anyone to threaten our elections.
“Colorado’s elections are the nation’s gold standard. I am proud of how we have responded to the first insider elections breach in the nation, and look forward to another secure and successful election in November.”
The release briefly mentioned other actions in response to Tina Peters’ malfeasance.
Secretary Griswold took swift action ..., including decertifying the county’s voting equipment, working with Mesa County commissioners to remove Peters of election oversight, appointing a former Republican Secretary of State to oversee the election, and then leading the nation’s first law on insider threats.
As ballots began to be mailed to most voters, the Secretary of State issued another release urging voters to be wary of messages about the security and integrity of the election processes.
"We must continue to combat election disinformation. Coloradans should always use trusted sources for election information, including GoVoteColorado.gov and their County Clerk’s Office," said Secretary Griswold.
Coloradans should use trusted sources when searching for information on elections. Information from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office is distributed via www.ColoradoSOS.gov or www.GoVoteColorado.gov.
Use trusted sources
A reminder to Coloradans that the ".gov" URL is overseen by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), and "exists so that the online services of bona fide U.S.-based government organizations are easy to identify on the internet." With the .gov domain – which only verified government agencies may use – Coloradans can be confident that information is coming directly from the Secretary of State’s Office.
The Colorado County Clerks Association issued a release to tout the high quality of Colorado elections.
County clerks from across the state gathered to encourage voters to stay engaged throughout the next few weeks to help ensure another safe and accurate election for Colorado….
“All 64 clerks in our state are committed to this foundational work in our democracy,” said Sheri Davis, Douglas County Clerk and Recorder. “And remember, elections are run by people from right in your own community who make sure the process is secure and that your vote counts. Every voter should have confidence that we’re running uniform processes that produce accurate results and that the security of each ballot and the tabulation process is our highest priority.”
Colorado elections are overseen from start to finish but election judges. These judges are members of each community who agree to serve including bringing ballots from secure ballot boxes to overseeing the entire tabulation process. They serve in bipartisan teams and work together to ensure each election is safe and accurate.
In Mesa County, the Clerk and Recorder’s website for its Election Division highlights the security of the election. There is material from the US Election Assistance Commission sharing
In addition, a locally created list of 10 steps shows the Life of a Mail Ballot in Mesa County.
I doubt these official efforts will reach those with the greatest suspicion about voting. So there needs to be more. Some sources of advice:
Are there other organizations or approaches you have found to broaden and deepen faith in the election process? List them in comments below.
And of course, if you have other thoughts about Colorado, please share them in this Open Thread.
