Scott Gessler: Ten politicos weigh in on Secretary of State's first years in office

MSNBC screenshot

Gilbert Ortiz doing an interview with Rachel Maddow.

"Pueblo County has never had a problem communicating with the Secretary of State's office. I think we communicate very well. I think they do a great job advising us, telling us what's happening. The disagreements that we've had over the last year and a half, they are disagreements that we believe the court should tell us what the answer is.... It's a normal and healthy relationship that the Secretary and the clerks should have.... [But] it has been very stressful, just because it's difficult going through these decisions through the courts. You have to prepare for it. You don't know what decision is going to be made. It's just a difficult process. But as an elected official, when I...disagree with the Secretary of State's office, I feel like I have to pursue them."

Donetta Davidson, Republican
Davidson is a former Secretary of State and now the executive director of the County Clerks Association.

"The one thing that we were really concerned about is anything at the last minute like [the non-citizen letters] is very hard.... That's when you get the intimidation.... I might've sent them after the election instead of before. We didn't have time to investigate.

"The non-election year is the time to review election law, the time to review anything. This is the time to take a look at the issues. If there are changes....then it can really be tested and you have more time to implement it.... We need technology to make sure if there is any fraud at all, it can be verified. If there is fraud, people ought to...be punished. Sometimes punishment deters people."

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