Colorado’s secretary of state should push for voter roll integrity yet maintain ballot access. And this elected member of the executive branch should do so without any partisan funny business.
With this in mind, we recommend voters choose Joe Neguse for Colorado secretary of state.
Neguse, a Democrat, is a sharp, public service-minded individual with an impressive record of achievement in many facets of his life.
This University of Colorado regent and lawyer is committed to encouraging Coloradans to exercise the right to vote and has a special appreciation for the franchise. The son of Eritrean refugees, Neguse has a compelling life story that has shaped his views and inspired his choice of career. His parents, he said, hold dear the rights and liberties this country affords its citizens.
“At a very early age, they taught me how important it is to not take for granted the sacred freedoms that we have in the United States that don’t exist in a lot of places in the world,” he told the Denver Post editorial board.
“Those freedoms really begin with the right to vote,” he said.
Neguse was born in California, grew up in Highlands Ranch and went to the University of Colorado, where he was student body president. He was elected to the CU board of regents while he was attending the university’s law school, and has been a firm advocate for keeping tuition hikes in check.
Not only does Neguse have a comprehensive grasp of Colorado elections law, he also supports the sweeping 2013 legislation that required inactive voters get mail ballots, among other provisions.
Neguse’s challenger, Wayne Williams, opposed the legislation, calling it a “radical elections rewrite bill,” and was quite vocal about it. We respect Williams’ experience and performance as El Paso County’s clerk and recorder, but believe he’s largely off base in his critique of recent election law.
Fortunately, voters have a first-rate alternative in Neguse for secretary of state.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
