Report Warns of Potential Election Protests by GOP Officials in Colorado for 2024
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A recent report has raised concerns about Republican election officials in Colorado who are likely to protest the results of the 2024 election. Colorado’s election certification process is managed by local canvassing boards, which include one Democratic appointee, one Republican appointee, and an elected elections official, according to a report by USA Today.
In previous elections, when the Republican appointee has protested certification, the Democrat and the elected official have typically outvoted them, allowing the election results to stand. One prominent example is in Jefferson County, a region encompassing the western and southwestern parts of Denver. Republican representative Nancy Pallozzi has consistently refused to certify election results over the past three election cycles. Critics argue that Pallozzi’s objections lack any legitimate basis to question the election outcomes.
“We’ve worked with Nancy many times, and every election, she sends us a letter with some sort of reason for not certifying the election, and none of it is ever coherent,” stated Sarah McAfee, spokesperson for the Jefferson County Clerk. “It seems to be some sort of political statement.”
Pallozzi’s actions reflect a broader trend among some Republican election officials who refuse to certify results in races where Democrats emerge victorious. While these objections have not yet prevented elected officials from assuming office, they could potentially lead to chaos and delays in certifying the Electoral College results in the upcoming November election.
“I think the powers driving the election denial movement have been using the last three years as a testing ground for different techniques, different strategies to see what they can do to create confusion and cause chaos in the process,” said Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, in an interview with USA Today.
Rick Hasen, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the author of ElectionLawBlog.org, warned that local officials could disrupt the final certification if they gain enough allies and the election is close. “It’s a kind of strategy, if it’s a close election, to find a way to slow things down or provide a path for changing election outcomes,” Hasen explained. As the 2024 election approaches, the potential for such disruptions underscores the ongoing challenges to the integrity of the electoral process, particularly in a politically polarized environment.
