Coloradoan, As I have never been afraid to admit, Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, and I are the only true Election Integrity Candidates in Colorado in the 2022 cycle. It is with that sentiment of Election Integrity that I am emailing you today with this urgent request. I have attached below a forwarded email from the Jefferson County Republican Women containing the details of a devastating bill threatening Colorado's election system. This bill, spearheaded by Jena Griswold is a full-scale assault on our constitutional republic. I am asking you to contact your legislators today and tell them to vote no on this massive expansion of voter interference. The Dems like to claim election integrity when in reality this bill is voter suppression. I am calling on each and every Coloradoan that wants to see true election integrity, to call and testify and call your legislators now to stop this bill from getting passed. This is a time-sensitive issue and it is critical that we all take action immediately. Please see the full email below by signature. Sincerely,
Laurel Imer Republican Candidate, CO-07
JEFFERSON COUNTY REPUBLICAN WOMEN
ACTION ALERT
Your help in contacting legislators is needed IMMEDIATELY.
Democrat Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Democrats in the State Legislature are making a major power grab regarding our Elections. Senate Bill 22-153 will concentrate power in the Secretary of State's office, even allowing her to overrule local elected Election Officials. The bill even punishes those who speak against the Secretary of State's office!
Your help is needed to prevent this "totalitarian state" type of legislation.
TODAY -- Call or email the members of the legislative committees listed by our State Chair in her message below to oppose Senate Bill 22-153. Here are some specifics of the bill (research by John and Judy Case):
Section 4 - Accelerates enforcement actions to be concluded within 30 days and no right to appellate review (review by Supreme Court is discretionary).
Section 5 - Allows Secretary of State or Coordinated Election Official to file verified petition for neglect of duty under CRS 1-1-113. This will enable the secretary to sue clerks when the secretary lacks support of local electors.
Sections 6 and 7 - Require all election officials to be certified after indoctrination in courses provided by secretary of state
Section 8 - Criminalizes speech by election officials that is critical of the administration of elections.
Section 9 - Restricts access to voting equipment (making it a crime for unauthorized persons to enter the voting system room)
Section 10 - Requires every county of less than 1000 voters (in other words, all 64 counties) to purchase and use computer voting systems. Hand counts will be illegal.
Section 11 - Forbids county personnel from making a backup image of the hard drive of any component of the voting system. This conflicts with clerks' statutory duties to preserve election records for 25 months after every election.
Section 12 - Requires 24 hour video surveillance of voting systems.
Section 13 - Allows secretary of state to overrule county canvass board's refusal to certify election results.
Section 14 - Makes it a Class 1 Misdemeanor (penalty up to 18 months jail or $5,000 fine or both) to refuse to comply with rules or orders of the secretary of state.
Section 15 - Makes it a Class 5 Felony (punishable by 1-2 years imprisonment and fine of up to $100,000) to (1) violate rules of SOS regarding access to voting systems, or (2) facilitate unauthorized access to voting system or election night reporting system, or (3) publish passwords or other confidential information relating to a voting system
This bill is scary. It removes the autonomy of county commissioners to purchase election systems for their counties, and the authority of county clerks and recorders to run elections and keep records in their counties. It gives the secretary of state chokehold control of every county election.
MESSAGE FROM COLORADO GOP STATE CHAIR KRISTI BURTON BROWN:
A message from the Colorado Republican Party
Dear Colorado Republicans,
We all know Jena Griswold's history of being an incompetent partisan hack without any actual elections experience. We've seen the rules she's tried to slam down -- including her attempt to ban election judges and poll watchers from talking to each other. Many of you helped us push back against her rules, and we saw that one reversed.
Well, here we are again.
Jena's Griswold's Boulder buddy, Majority Leader Stephen Fenberg, is sponsoring SB22-153 (https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2022A/bills/2022a_153_01.pdf). Section 8(2) of this bill would allow the state of Colorado to decide whether or not what people say about elections is "true" or "false."
Has Sen. Fenberg really forgotten what the First Amendment is all about? Jena Griswold probably never knew to begin with.
Additionally, SB22-153 requires local election officials to take classes created by Jena Griswold's office and receive "certifications." What about Jena herself? Why are no certifications or classes required for the top elections official in Colorado?
How can Jena sit up in Boulder and demand that the competence of local officials be "certified" while she can lounge about in total incompetence and constant staff turnover?
Jena Griswold not only wants to be the Secretary of State; she wants to become judge and jury as well. The extreme portions of this bill are a transparent attempt to stoke fear and distrust in local elections and center all the power with Jena -- all without checks or balances.
ACTION NEEDED: If you agree that Jena Griswold is a partisan hack who needs to leave the First Amendment and local control alone, please email your opposition!
Jena Griswold -- sos.rulemaking@coloradosos.gov and elections@coloradosos.gov
Bill Sponsors:
Sen. Stephen Fenberg -- stephen.fenberg.senate@state.co.us
Rep. Susan Lontine -- susan.lontine.house@state.co.us
Committee Democrats:
Sen. James Coleman -- james.coleman.senate@state.co.us
Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis -- sonya.jaquez.lewis.senate@state.co.us
Sen. Pete Lee -- pete.lee.senate@state.co.us
Thanks for continuing to stand with the Colorado GOP for election integrity and secure, accountable elections in Colorado! We're in this together, and I appreciate your work.
KBB
Chairwoman | Colorado GOP
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