Wheat Ridge, Colo. – On Thursday, February 20^th, Congressman Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) and Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold held a town hall to discuss election security and voter protection issues as the 2020 election season gets underway. They were joined by Jefferson County Clerk George Stern and Adams County Clerk Josh Zygielbaum.

“Everyone should be able to cast their vote as easily and securely as possible,” said Congressman Perlmutter. “I applaud Colorado’s leadership in making our state one of the safest to cast a ballot but we need to continue working at the state and federal level to protect voting rights, improve election security infrastructure, and combat foreign influence and disinformation campaigns.”

“Coloradans can vote in the upcoming Presidential Primary election with the confidence that their voices will be heard,” said Secretary Griswold.  “While Colorado is the safest state to cast a ballot in today, we must remain vigilant to ensure our democracy is protected.  I’m proud of the work the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office has done and will continue to do to keep our elections secure.”   

“We want Coloradans to know how seriously their election leaders take election integrity, and tonight’s town hall was a great opportunity for voters to ask questions and receive critical information,” said George Stern, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder. “While Colorado is already considered one of the safest states in which to cast a ballot, we must never rest on our laurels. That’s why elected officials at the local, state and federal levels are in constant communication to ensure that our systems are as secure and accessible as possible.”

“Election Security is vital to our democracy and educating the public about our processes is key in maintaining security. It’s an honor to moderate this town hall event and to raise public awareness of such an important topic,” said Adams County Clerk Josh Zygielbaum.

Questions raised at the town hall included concerns about foreign interference in the 2020 election, how to engage young voters and what else can be done at the state and federal level to secure elections.

At the federal level, Perlmutter has cosponsored and supported a number of election security measures, including:

• H.R. 1, the For the People Act to expand voting rights and improve campaign finance, expands automatic voter registration, restores voting rights for felons, expands voting by mail, and promotes same-day registration.
• H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act to improve voting protections in the wake of Shelby County v. Holder and prohibit voter roll purges like those in Ohio and George, limit voter ID laws, and prohibit partisan gerrymandering.
• H.R. 2722, the Secure America’s Federal Elections (SAFE) Act to standardize requirements for voting systems, cyber-security, and post-election audits.
• H.R. 4617, the SHIELD Act to restrict the exchange of campaign information between candidates and foreign governments, close loopholes that allow foreign governments to spend in U.S. elections, and create a duty to report illicit offers of campaign assistance from foreign governments.
• Support a constitutional amendment to repeal Citizens United v. FEC to require disclosure of all campaign donors and create a matching system for small donations.

Additionally, in December 2019 Congress appropriated $450 million to help states upgrade their voting equipment.

Colorado has been a leader in the area of election security and voter protection and was one of only three states to meet all requirements as outlined in H.R. 2722. Currently, Colorado has the highest percentage of eligible citizens registered to vote and the second-highest (62.1%) voter turnout rate behind Minnesota (64.2%). In addition to a vote-by-mail system, Colorado achieved this status by automatic voter registration with driver’s license services, extending voting rights to parolees, and allowing 17-year-olds to pre-register.

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