KUSA — Following a contentious campaign, GOP incumbent Wayne W. Williams has been unseated after one term as Colorado's secretary of state by Democratic challenger and voting rights attorney Jena Griswold.
The final results have yet to be confirmed, but 9NEWS feels comfortable enough in the early returns to call the election for Griswold.
She outspent Williams by almost five times during the election - $923,000 to Williams’ $247,000, according to Colorado's Secretary of State Office.
Williams took office in 2014 after previous Secretary of State Scott Gessler stepped down to unsuccessfully run to be Colorado's next governor. Williams defeated a University of Colorado regent to win his seat, touting his previous experience as the El Paso County Clerk.
In contrast, Griswold, like previous challenger Joseph Neguse, didn't have any experience running in an election. She was a voting rights attorney in the Obama administration and Gov. Hickenlooper's liaison in D.C.
Instead of picking experience, voters chose Griswold, a candidate who was critical of Williams' willingness to supply Colorado voter data to President Donald Trump's voting commission and who does not want state voter ID law. The information Williams provided to Trump's commission was already public.
Williams was not able to overcome questions about his commitment to his position. While working as Secretary of State, The Denver Post reported he also moonlighted at his private law practice. Voters also appear to have sided with Griswold that the state's voting system could be better protected from hackers hoping to influence the results.
According to Colorado Public Radio, Williams and Griswold broadly agree on many issues - including letting candidates accept larger contributions than state law currently allows, letting business filing fees help pay for elections and requiring more disclosure from campaigns on where their money comes from and what it goes to.
And while Griswold would like tougher cyber security for elections, both candidates agree the ease of voting in Colorado is something to be proud of. In a voting accessibility study released Friday, "The Cost of Voting in the American States" published in the Election Law Journal says voting in Colorado ranks near the top in ease - only in Oregon is it easier to vote.
