Colorado Incumbent Secretary of State, Jena Griswold is warning her party to take note of increased GOP, “down ticket” attention as the midterms draw near.
“What we can expect from the extreme Republicans running across the country is their desire to undermine free and fair elections,” Griswold told the Guardian late last month. “For us, we are trying to save Democracy.”
Griswold further contends the opposition seeks to “strip American people of the right to vote, refuse to address security breaches and unfortunately, be more beholden to Mar-a-Lago than the people.”
Griswold, who chairs the Democratic Association of Secretaries of States (DASS) and is running for reelection is urging her constituents to not lose sight of once considered, “sleepy, down-ballot contests for Secretary of State – lest they lose their democracy.”
2020 Election Discrepancies a Wake-Up Call for Republicans
The highly contested 2020 general election proved the importance of down-ticket races and the Secretary of States’ position on election accountability.
Perhaps the most glaring was Pennsylvania’s. Then-Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar submitted guidance that said proof of identification could be provided up until Nov. 12, which was six days from the ballot acceptance deadline. That guidance was issued two days before an election. Judge Judy Leavitt later set aside Boockvar’s ruling stating that she lacked statutory authority to issue such guidance.
In Pennsylvania, conservative Doug Mastriano, is in a dead heat with Democrat Attorney General, Josh Shapiro. Mastriano, one of the most vocal voices for alleged 2020 election fraud, is a strong Trump ally.
The Michigan Secretary of State race currently looks to favor Democrats as polls show a comfortable lead for incumbent Jocelyn Benson over Republican Kristina Karamo. To question the accuracy of polls, the Republicans point to the ABC-Washington Post Wisconsin polls that showed Joe Biden up by 17 points the day before the election. He won by an alleged 21,000 votes or less than one point.
Unlike past challengers, the charismatic Karamo received a strong endorsement from former President Donald Trump during the Republican primary. Republicans claimed election fraud in 2020 pointing to windows covered with pizza boxes and the arrival of “wee hour ballots.” It is likely that the Wolverine state will see Trump before the November election, campaigning for Karamo and Tudor Dixon who hopes to upset unpopular Democrat incumbent Governor, Gretchen Whitmer.
In Arizona, Democrat Secretary of State, Katie Hobbs drew intense scrutiny partially due to missing routers used in connection with the controversial Dominion voting machines. In November Democrat Adrian Fontes will take on Trump-endorsed, Mark Finchem. Hobbs, now running for governor, will take on Trump-endorsed, Kari Lake in the Arizona gubernatorial election.
While Georgia Republican Brad Raffensperger received his party’s primary nod this past May, his surprising win has ignited calls for a “closed primary” in Georgia. In a closed primary, the voter is required to declare their party affiliation before the election and voting occurs. As Republican and native Georgian Mark Jackson phrased, “My next-door neighbor, who is a strong Democrat, admitted that he had crossed over and voted for Raffensperger in the Republican primary.”
Griswold Fears Increased Election Scrutiny
“The country could lose the right to vote, and we could lose…more of our fundamental freedoms in less than three months,” Griswold warned in The Guardian article, dated August 29th, these freedoms could include mail-in ballots, ballot drop box voting, ballot harvesting, and the non-requirement of voter photo identification. She predicts that if Trump-backed candidates are elected, they would “weaponize their posts by sowing doubts about the results of an election.”
This November, Griswold will face Pam Anderson, a former Republican County clerk who won her party’s nomination. Anderson pledges to “keep politics out of elections administration.” Analysts predict a competitive race.
Griswold emphasizes the importance of the midterm elections. “The stakes are really high, but I think people understand what’s at stake and that’s why you’re seeing this level of enthusiasm. There’s a huge amount of enthusiasm from Democratic donors and the grassroots. But I will say, the Republicans are also seeing a lot of enthusiasm,” she added.
A Departure from an Obscure Past
It wasn’t always this way!
In the old days, secretaries of state-operated in relative obscurity. It was the proverbial, behind-the-scenes bureaucratic position. In most states, this amounted to “ensuring the smooth and safe administration of American elections.” The role was viewed by most as “ministerial in nature,” far removed from the partisan battles that are confronting statewide offices today.
