Colorado Secretary Of State Addresses Misinformation From Georgia Elected Officials After MLB All-Star Game Change Of Venue
DENVER (CBS4) - While Major League Baseball may not want politics in play this week, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold isn't letting a chance to tout Colorado's election model slide.
"We can just feel a tangible excitement in the air, and all eyes of the nation are on this state and this city this week," she said at a news conference Monday.
The national attention comes after the MLB moved the All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver in protest of a controversial election law there.
Griswold took advantage of the spotlight to tout what she calls an "all-star election model."
"Colorado is the gold standard, but not only that, we are beacon of hope for rest of nation. There have been over 400 bills introduced in 47 states to suppress the vote. There are fake sham audits popping up to undermine confidence."
Not only did she play up Colorado's election model, she called out some elected officials in Georgia for running it down, saying there's unprecedented misinformation and vitriol today.
"We will not be used as a tool to suppress the vote in Georgia."
Griswold says she and many county clerks have received death threats from people demanding a recount and third party audit of the 2020 election.
"I will not be intimidated by threats or any movement to take voting away from the American people or Coloradans."
Instead, she and Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez held a new conference on the front steps of the State Capitol and parked Denver's newest mobile voting unit where everyone attending All-Star events could see it near McGregor Square.
"When comes to democracy, there are no sliders. There are no curve balls. It's straight forward. You want to participate, you want to vote, we make it easy," said Lopez.
Bishop Jerry Demmer, head of the Greater Denver Ministerial Alliance, says he's talked to pastors in Georgia who are worried the state's new law will suppress the African American vote especially. Demmer says he hopes other states follow Colorado's lead and not Georgia's.
"It was great move to come to Colorado, an accepting state. A state that stands for righteousness and stands against voter suppression."
Griswold also highlighted new laws in Colorado aimed at making voting even easier by providing language translation for ballots and allowing voter registration online - instead of in person - using a social security number.
"The fact of matter is we have best elections in the nation, the most secure elections in the nation and we're the envy of the nation," she said.
