This week, former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was convicted by a Colorado jury on multiple counts related to tampering with election data and equipment.
Holding Peters accountable for official misconduct is an important step forward for our state at a time when false information has raised a climate of doubt about the integrity of our elections. As a former election administrator, and the Republican who defeated Peters in her 2022 campaign for the GOP nomination for Colorado Secretary of State, I know how important it is for voters to be able to trust our elections.
With Peters’ saga behind us and the 2024 elections just ahead, it is critical that Coloradans feel assured that our election officials are rigorously preparing for a fair and secure election, and know that election officials nationwide abide by high standards of impartiality, transparency, and integrity.
I’ve had the privilege of engaging with our electoral process from nearly every level – as an election administrator, a candidate for statewide office, and now working in collaboration with election officials nationwide. I’ve found that a key driver of election distrust is that many voters simply do not know who their election officials are, or understand what they do. Election officials are part of their community: they are taxpayers, voters, and have deep roots in the communities they serve.
My own interest in elections was fueled by a desire to strengthen our state’s democratic process, and stand up to those who try to abuse the system. Encountering petition fraud in a local municipal race propelled me into candidacy to stop it. Tina Peters’ false claims around the 2020 election motivated me to step into the primary for Secretary of State with a platform of impartiality and integrity. However, we find ourselves at a critical juncture. The spread of misinformation and efforts to delegitimize election outcomes have createdwidespread distrustin elections, threatening the very foundation of our democracy.
I can speak for officials across the state when I say it’s a privilege to serve in election roles, and officials take their roles very seriously. Election officials in the U.S. follow professionalstandards of conductthat reinforce their commitment to following the law, being impartial, and building trust in their communities. These standards demonstrate that while officials across the country may follow different state and local election rules, there are higher ethical principles that govern elections work regardless of state or jurisdiction. Like many jobs, ours is one of constant assessment and training to ensure election officials can uphold their ultimate goal: conducting elections in a fair, efficient, and accurate manner.
Our overarching goal remains the same every election cycle: ensure this election is the most trusted yet. Nevertheless, misinformation will increase over the coming months that challenges the integrity of election officials. I’ve witnessed firsthand the scrutiny and threats election officials face, and how misinformation has planted seeds of mistrust. The mistrust canlead to violencethat is inexcusable and threatens officials from performing their essential role in the democratic process.
I urge all Coloradans to reach out to their local election officials if they have questions or concerns about voting processes, for our jobs are not merely to conduct elections, but to also be accessible to our community and build relationships that foster trust. As Coloradans cast their vote in 2024, it’s important to remember that Tina Peters does not represent the hundreds of dedicated public servants who work tirelessly to keep our democracy running and bring the highest standards of ethics and professionalism to their work. The truth of election administration is much simpler and more powerful than the bluster, lies, and lawbreaking set by Peters’ example; the people behind our elections are hardworking Coloradans like you and I who want the state to be guided by the will of the people.
Pam Anderson is a former Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder and in 2022 she was a Republican candidate for Secretary of State.
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Originally Published: August 19, 2024 at 10:29 a.m.
