Secretary of State Jena Griswold appointed a supervisor to oversee the upcoming election in Elbert County following breaches of security protocol by the county’s clerk and recorder last year.

In January, Republican Clerk Dallas Schroeder admitted that he made copies of two hard drives of the county’s Dominion Voting Systems equipment, received instructions from two non-election staffers on how to do so and gave images of the hard drives to unauthorized individuals. Months later, a judge ordered Schroeder to turn the copies over to Griswold. 

In addition, Griswold said Schroeder misplaced dozens of ballots during the June primary election. Those ballots, reported by the county’s elections manager after the primary, were counted during the ongoing statewide recount and added to the election results. 

If the statewide recount was not already in progress, the dozens of misplaced ballots from Elbert County could not have legally been counted, Griswold said.

“Every eligible Coloradan – Republican, Democrat and unaffiliated alike – has the right to cast a ballot in accessible and secure elections. That’s why I am taking action to appoint an election supervisor in Elbert County,” Griswold said. “I will continue to uphold Colorado election law and provide the support and oversight needed to ensure secure access to Colorado’s elections.”

Schroeder is currently running unopposed for county commissioner.

Griswold tapped Christi Coburn, a professional election administrator, to monitor all decisions made and actions taken in Elbert County related to the administration of the 2022 general election. Coburn began her duties on Wednesday.

Coburn also served as an election supervisor for Elbert County’s June primary election. 

Griswold on Monday also appointed an election supervisor to oversee the November election in Pueblo County, alleging numerous errors by the county’s Democratic clerk, Gilbert “Bo” Ortiz, during the June primary election.

During the June primary, Griswold also appointed elections supervisors for Mesa County, Pueblo County and Alamosa County.