What experience (personal, professional, financial, other) would you bring to your role as Clerk and Recorder that will benefit our county?

I bring over 25 years of El Paso County public service, including two terms as County Assessor and service as Clerk and Recorder since 2023. As a Certified Colorado Election Official, I have led improvements that strengthen security, transparency, accuracy, and confidence. Most of our election-security and transparency initiatives were firsts in Colorado, with some firsts in the nation. My Marine Corps service in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern Watch, and Deny Flight instilled discipline, leadership, and mission-focused accountability. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology Management and master’s degrees in Project Management and Business Administration. This experience equips me to deliver secure elections, responsible stewardship, and responsive service for El Paso County.

What are the duties and obligations of the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder? What is your vision for being our county's Clerk and Recorder?

The Clerk and Recorder is responsible for conducting elections; registering voters; administering motor vehicle titles, registrations, and driver’s license services; recording and preserving property and marriage records; issuing marriage licenses; and serving as clerk to the Board of County Commissioners. These duties must be performed lawfully, accurately, securely, transparently, efficiently, and with impartial service to every citizen.

My vision is for El Paso County to remain Colorado’s trusted leader in accessible and accountable public service. I will continue strengthening election security and transparency, modernizing recording services and protecting property records, reducing motor vehicle wait times, improving online access, and investing in employees and technology. Every transaction should be accurate, respectful, convenient, fiscally responsible, and worthy of the public’s confidence.

What can the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's Election Department do to better ensure election integrity?

I have been clear with our community: you will not hear me call Colorado elections the “Gold Standard.” That phrase implies perfection, yet perfection is elusive and integrity demands continual improvement. Every election presents distinct challenges and teaches us something; annual election cleanup legislation itself shows the work is never finished. Election integrity requires layered, evidence-based safeguards: non-internet-connected systems, bipartisan chain of custody, secure facilities, accurate voter rolls, voter-verifiable paper ballots, logic-and-accuracy testing, risk-limiting audits, cybersecurity coordination, trained staff and judges, and documented contingency plans. Transparency is equally vital through livestreaming, public observation, election-data tools, tours, and timely explanations. Every improvement must be lawful, independently verifiable, and designed to protect access while ensuring every eligible vote is counted accurately.

What is your view of the relationships between County Clerk and Recorder's offices and the Colorado Secretary of State's office in facilitating (or hindering) county Clerk and Recorder's performance of sworn duties?

I answer solely as El Paso County Clerk and Recorder; I cannot speak for Colorado’s other 63 clerks. Exceptional employees in the Secretary of State’s Office have held its foundation together through difficult years, and I respect their service. My professional relationship with the Secretary, however, has been difficult. Since 2022, recurring leadership and operational errors have left clerks managing consequences and rebuilding confidence. I was the only clerk to call for her resignation after voting-system BIOS passwords were posted online. After a software error made 133,000 confidential voter profiles potentially searchable, I again stood alone in asking the Governor to have Colorado OIT oversee the Secretary’s IT operations. Our sworn duties require accountability, competence, transparency, and a state-county partnership.

What is your position on the number and operation of satellite offices that the Clerk and Recorder currently has in place?

I support maintaining all four DMV branches, including our Fort Carson office—the nation’s only county DMV branch located on a military base—which serves active-duty and retired military members. Our 15 registration kiosks provide access throughout the county, but they cannot process title work or apply military ownership-tax exemptions; therefore, staffed offices remain essential. Demand continues growing: registrations increased from 651,000 in 2023 to 698,000 in 2026; title transactions reached 238,000; driver’s license and ID transactions reached 69,400; and 24,000 residents arrived over five years. We have begun evaluating satellite offices. Any expansion should be data-driven, fiscally responsible, strategic, and designed around services residents cannot complete online or at kiosks. My priority is equitable service without sacrificing accuracy, security, or accountability.

What are the biggest challenges of, and your priorities for improving the operations of the county's Licensing, Recording, and Motor Vehicles?

The challenge is keeping pace with population and transaction growth while maintaining accuracy, security, and reasonable wait times. Marriage and other licensing must remain timely and compliant amid changing state requirements. Recording faces fraud risks, aging records, and demand for secure online access. Motor Vehicle must absorb rising registrations, titles, and driver’s license transactions while state systems, kiosk limitations, and staffing constrain service.

My priorities are expanding convenient access, evaluating satellite offices, reducing wait times, and using technology without eliminating personal assistance. I will digitize remaining historical records, strengthen Property Fraud Alert, modernize online recording, and streamline licensing. Across every division, I will invest in training, succession planning, cybersecurity, performance measurement, and partnerships that deliver accurate, courteous, fiscally responsible service.