A recent Washington Post article painted a picture of what life is like for election workers in Pinal County, Arizona, notably how officials there decided to ramp up transparency measures, including building a new election headquarters with large windows and surveillance cameras, equipping the cages used to transport election equipment with GPS devices to address rumors that ballots had been abandoned in a nearby desert in 2020, and conducting an external audit of their election and cybersecurity systems.

Some officials in Colorado argue those steps aren’t necessary here — because Colorado is “the gold standard” when it comes to ballot access and election transparency. 

In interviews with Colorado Politics, current and former elections officials, along with representatives from nonpartisan organizations, highlighted what they described as ballot accessibility, transparency, and high levels of voter engagement in the state. 

‘Put voters first’

When Amber McReynolds joined the Denver Clerk and Recorder’s Office in 2005, she said she was disappointed to find that the pioneering spirit the city was revered for was missing in her new workplace. 

“There wasn’t a focus on the customer experience, and there wasn’t really even a focus on what the voters were telling us through customer service data,” she said, noting that the office wasn’t acting on feedback showing more and more Denver residents were opting to vote by mail.

When McReynolds became the city’s director of elections several years later, she made it her mission to provide voters with an election experience tailored to their needs and preferences. 

“The goal has always been to put voters first,” she said. “Democracy is a team sport. It is about ensuring fairness in our lives and meaningful representation for all.”

In 2010, Denver became the first city in the nation to pilot a ballot tracking system, allowing voters to follow the status of their ballot as it was mailed, audited, and counted. McReynolds, who helped implement the system and now serves as the vice chairman of the U.S. Postal Service’s Board of Governors, said the ballot tracking system is now used by over 120 million voters nationwide. 

During her time in Denver, McReynolds also played a key role in implementing automated voter registration and address updates, which she said significantly boosted voter turnout in the city.

“None of those reforms had been packaged that way before, and we did it by putting the voters first and designing a better way,” she said. “And the great thing about all of it was that it was done in a bipartisan way, and it has put Colorado on the map. We have made our access the prime example of what you do to serve voters.” 

‘Bomb-proof’

A number of other measures have been implemented statewide to enhance voter confidence in the integrity of Colorado’s elections, said Beth Hendrix, executive director of the League of Women Voters Colorado.

Notably, Colorado is an all-mail state, meaning voting is conducted primarily by mail. 

“We’ve all heard the misinformation that voting by mail isn’t safe, but there’s never quite a reason why it’s not safe,” said Hendrix. “Certainly no evidence has shown that it’s not safe. Here in Colorado, every ballot drop box is video secured and super-bolted into the sidewalk. I mean, it’s bomb-proof, basically.”

In addition to being monitored by video, some counties have set up livestreams of their ballot boxes, allowing residents to watch footage from home whenever they want. 

According to Hendrix, nearly every ballot in Colorado is paper, with some exceptions for individuals with disabilities who may need electronic ballots. This paper system allows for easy recounts, if necessary.

At county election centers, election judges and observers from both the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as independents, are present to oversee every step of the ballot process, from signature verification to final vote tabulation. 

“We have an awful lot of people around the state who are dedicated to this work, from all parties,” she said. “Our elections workers are trustworthy and dedicated and motivated.” 

The bipartisanship displayed by elections workers is something to be celebrated, added Mikayla Ortega from the Denver Clerk and Recorder’s Office.  

“I think it’s very important to acknowledge that there are obvious concerns (with election transparency), and we understand that,” she said. “That’s why it’s important for people to know that elections are run by bipartisan individuals from both the Republican Party and Democratic Party who come together every election to put country before party to run fair, accurate, and credible elections.”

‘Nothing to hide’

Residents of Denver County can turn in their ballots at any of the 45 drop boxes located throughout the city. Officials said those boxes are monitored 24/7. Ballots start going out on Oct. 11, and Ortega encourages people to vote as early as possible. 

After Election Day, every county conducts a risk-limiting audit, overseen by representatives from both parties, during which random ballots are selected and checked for accuracy, officials also noted. Additionally, custody logs are maintained to keep track of who handled the ballots and when, and all ballots are removed from their envelopes before being counted to ensure they remain anonymous, they said. 

The Denver Elections Division also offers tours of its elections center, allowing residents to see firsthand what happens to ballots after they’re submitted. Elections workers are available to answer any questions from voters, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable they may be, officials said.  

“We’re accessible and available because there’s nothing to hide,” said Ortega. “It’s a very steel process, and we’re more than happy to put it on display and show you the way that it works.”

With so many security measures in place, it’s nearly impossible for an election in Colorado to be ‘rigged’, said Ortega. 

“There are so many safeguards against any kind of malfeasance that could potentially take place, and you have people on both sides of the party line working hand in hand,” she said. “We have Republicans and Democrats, and they’re not gonna let either one get away with anything.”