The candidates for Colorado’s Secretary of State position, Democrat Amanda Gonzalez and Republican James Wiley, presented starkly different approaches to the state’s election system during a debate on Saturday at the Denver Press Club. The event was moderated by Ernest Luning, a senior reporter for Colorado Politics.
Gonzalez, the current clerk and recorder for Jefferson County, defended Colorado’s mail-in ballot system, emphasizing its security and accessibility. She noted that the system, which has been in place for years, is backed by bipartisan election workers, employs paper ballots, and conducts post-election audits. Gonzalez stated, “Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican, an unaffiliated voter, you need to make sure that every eligible voter is able to cast their ballot and have that ballot accurately counted.”
Wiley, a newcomer to politics who recently shifted from libertarian to Republican, argued that restoring public confidence in elections necessitates a move towards more localized, human-controlled voting processes. He criticized the centralized administration under the current system, contending that it fosters distrust among voters. “I’m not here to reform. I’m here to restore,” he said, proposing a return to in-person voting at local precincts alongside limited absentee voting.
Gonzalez countered Wiley’s proposals by asserting that the current statewide mail-in ballot system reflects voter preference, with over 90% of Coloradans opting for ballots mailed to their homes. She argued that returning to precinct-based voting would complicate access and raise unnecessary barriers for voters without substantiating claims of widespread fraud.
Throughout the debate, public trust in the electoral process emerged as a central theme. Gonzalez suggested that officials should showcase how elections work to regain public confidence, highlighting the role of bipartisan teams and established auditing protocols. Conversely, Wiley expressed skepticism about the adequacy of current safeguards, claiming that voters are unable to independently verify the proprietary software used in voting machines.
The candidates also differed on the topic of voter registration and the state’s automatic registration system via the Department of Motor Vehicles. Gonzalez explained that records are updated daily and that instances of voters receiving ballots inappropriately are often a result of eligibility in multiple districts. Wiley raised concerns about the reliability of using motor vehicle records for registration, stating that this could confuse voters and hinder their ability to receive ballots.
When the conversation turned to the acceptance of election results, Gonzalez asked Wiley whether he would respect the outcome if she won in November. Wiley responded that while he would prefer to return to his private life if he lost, he would not accept the results without what he deemed sufficient accountability regarding the election’s trustworthiness.
Wiley also indicated that rural counties face disproportionate challenges under the current statewide election framework, asserting that Colorado’s funding model for election administration is inadequate. He pledged to prioritize building relationships with county clerks and to advocate for hand-counted elections in rural areas, starting with counties like Cheyenne and Moffat.
In contrast, Gonzalez argued that her experience in election administration equips her to ensure equal voting opportunities across Colorado, opposing the notion of different procedures for different counties.
The election for Colorado Secretary of State will take place on November 3, with the winner set to succeed term-limited Democratic incumbent Jena Griswold, who is running for attorney general.
