<\/p>\n
Jena Griswold, Colorado\u2019s newly elected secretary of state, said she\u2019s already made strong headway on her three campaign promises in just one year in office. But still, there\u2019s plenty of work to do, she said.<\/p>\n
Griswold, speaking to about 30 people at a town hall meeting Saturday afternoon at Durango Community Recreational Center, said she set out to expand automatic voter registration, make it easier for people to vote in Colorado and fight dark money in politics.<\/p>\n
Though started by her predecessor, Wayne Williams, state legislation was passed this year that expands opportunities for Colorado residents to automatically be registered to vote, such as when someone renews or gets a new driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n
Griswold said her office has looked to other areas of opportunity for automatic registration, outside the Department of Motor Vehicles.<\/p>\n
She said her office has also made it easier for Coloradans to vote, by adding drop-boxes and polling centers in more locations. She said having these options on public universities, for instance, will increase voter turnout and get younger people involved in elections.<\/p>\n
As for addressing \u201cdark money\u201d in campaigns and politics, it\u2019s an uphill battle, Griswold said, but one her office has made strides in fighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoney in politics, I think, is corroding our democracy,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat we see at all levels of government is corporations and special interests attempting to buy politicians and their votes.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the 2018 election, for instance, $83 million was donated to independent expenditure committees, Colorado\u2019s equivalent of a super PAC \u2013 money that is not easily traceable when donations come from nonprofits or groups that don\u2019t reveal donors.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do we instill confidence in our democracy when we don\u2019t know where this money comes from?\u201d Griswold said.<\/p>\n
The Clean Campaign Act of 2019 was passed this year by the state Legislature, which Griswold called \u201cone of the largest money-in-politics reforms in the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The act has stopgap measures so donors can\u2019t anonymously funnel money through organizations, requires corporations to disclose donations for ballot initiatives, closes foreign money loopholes and strengthens campaign enforcement rules.<\/p>\n
Durango resident Carolyn Hunter commended Colorado\u2019s use of paper ballots, which experts say secures election systems by leaving a paper trail, unlike the electronic machines some states use that are more at risk of being hacked.<\/p>\n
Griswold said Colorado is the safest state in the country to cast a ballot, a sentiment recently reiterated by The Washington Post<\/em> and other election experts.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope more states follow,\u201d Hunter said.<\/p>\n Kathleen Adams, also of Durango, asked what Griswold\u2019s goals are for the next few years.<\/p>\n Griswold responded by saying it takes constant vigilance to make sure people are not disenfranchised from voting, citing the example of the Trump administration recently proposing to leave the Universal Postal Union, which could have made it harder for U.S. citizens abroad, like military, to vote.<\/p>\n Trump ultimately dropped the idea this past week.<\/p>\n \u201cMy job is to make sure we\u2019re not putting up barriers to voting,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n State Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, also in attendance, said the state legislation made great strides this past year on issues like climate change, equal pay and full-day kindergarten. She half-jokingly told those in attendance that might be because of the amount of women in the Legislature.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the first time in history we have a majority of women,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd women get stuff done.\u201d<\/p>\n McLachlan said the current Legislature better represents Colorado\u2019s diverse population.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Legislature looks like Colorado now,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to hear so many voices.\u201d<\/p>\n