Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold Unveils 2020 Legislative Agenda

Secretary Griswold To Focus on Election Security, Integrity, and Anti-Corruption during 2020 Colorado Legislative Session

Denver, January 15, 2020 – Today at a joint hearing before the Colorado House and Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold unveiled her legislative agenda for the 2020 Colorado General Assembly. The focal point this year will be continuing to preserve the integrity of Colorado’s electoral process.

“From special interests trying to buy the outcomes of elections, to foreign nations launching sophisticated attacks, we must rise to the challenges of our times,” said Secretary Griswold. “In 2020, we have an opportunity to lead, and ensure Colorado remains the national leader in elections and democracy. I look forward to working with the General Assembly in the coming months to pass this important legislative package.”

Secretary Griswold’s priorities for the 72nd Colorado General Assembly include:

• Election Cybersecurity: Election security is one of the nation’s largest security risks. Colorado is the national leader in safe and secure voting, but more can be done to protect our elections. Secretary Griswold plans to work with state agencies, local governments, and the General Assembly this legislative session to support a multi-year effort that increases the cybersecurity capabilities of counties and local governments, and by extension, increases the cybersecurity capability of the entire state of Colorado.
  
  
• Disinformation: Hostile entities are using social media to undermine our democracy. Secretary Griswold will propose legislation to fight against election-related messages from foreign sources, “Deep Fake” videos designed to manipulate voters, and foreign government’s use of social media as a tool to mislead.
  
  
• Replacement Ballot Delivery: Over 1.5 million Coloradans voted in 2019. We should always look for opportunities to improve voter access. One such opportunity relates to replacement ballots. Secretary Griswold is proposing required reporting to the Secretary of State’s office anytime ballots are delayed in the delivery process.
  
  
• Anti-Corruption of Electors: In 2019, the Colorado Secretary of State and Colorado Attorney General petitioned the Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court decision that prevents Colorado from ensuring that presidential electors follow state law by casting their ballot for the candidate who wins the most votes in the state's presidential election. Pending Supreme Court review and decision, Colorado must establish ethical behavior standards for electors. It should be criminal to give or accept a bribe or anything of value in exchange for a presidential elector’s vote. When Americans cast their votes, they expect them to be counted.

Colorado is one of the safest states in the country to cast a ballot in today. In 2019, Secretary Griswold led and worked with the legislature to pass one of the largest democracy reforms in the nation, including Automatic Voter Registration; expanded polling locations and mail-in ballot drop boxes across the state, especially on tribal lands and public universities; and anti-corruption measures including campaign finance reform and lobbyist reform. This agenda furthers the dedication of the Secretary of State's Office to ensuring Colorado has a democracy we can all believe in.

Please visit here for a summary of the Secretary of State's 2020 legislative agenda.