Could Republicans Actually Hold the SOS Office?

by: Colorado Pols

Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 10:45:29 AM MDT

Some Colorado Republicans want Secretary of State Mike Coffman to step down in the next two weeks so another Republican can run for that office this November.

Their strategy is to stop Democrats from controlling the office for the next two years.

But Coffman, the Republican candidate in the 6th Congressional District race, said Friday that he will stay in office through the November election or beyond...

Coffman's decision to run for Congress prompted opposition by local Republicans who don't want the Secretary of State's Office, which has long been occupied by Republicans, to go to a Democrat.

Some Republicans want Coffman to step down before Aug. 28. That would prompt a special election in November between a Republican candidate and the Democratic appointee named by Gov. Bill Ritter to run the office until then.

Obviously, the possibility of retaining the SoS in November beats the certainty of losing it--Coffman's swift resignation would be the right thing to do if his interest was in party over principle. But that's kind of the point, Coffman is the moral and strategic victor now over the would-be kingmakers who tried to stop his run for Congress. He doesn't have to quit on a schedule that accommodates them, and we seriously doubt he will--it would be a violation of his sacred Marine honor or something. He intends to finish the job of managing the 2008 elections and then go to Congress in January. If you can also interpret that as a fat middle finger directed at the party insiders who lined up to endorse his vastly inferior pipsqueak of an opponent, we expect Coffman is cool with your interpretation.

In fact, we would bet money that the lavishing of praise on GOP chairman Dick Wadhams seen in yesterday's appeal for Coffman to resign (original post below) only increased Coffman's resolve to tell Wadhams which orifice he can shove his proxy-delivered "suggestions" up.

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We've gotten some strange and interesting emails in our time, but this one may take the cake.

The email below appears to have come from Dan Kopelman, the same Dan Kopelman who got Secretary of State Mike Coffman into trouble for a variety of reasons.

The email below was forwarded to us, and it seems to outline a plan for how Republicans can hold onto the SOS office despite Coffman's pending resignation once he is formally elected to congress in CD-6 in November. According to the email, Republicans could convene a vacancy committee before August 28 and...well, we don't really follow exactly, so we'll leave it up to the bigger brains in the room to figure this out.

But what makes this email a double-doozy is the weird deification of GOP Party Czar Dick Wadhams. Click below for the email...

From: dkopelman@technologist.com [mailto:dkopelman@technologist.com]
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2008 3:11 AM
To: XXXXXXX
Subject: XXXXX, A Republican can run for Secretary of State this November if chosen by August 28th!

"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do
nothing." -- Edmund Burke

Happily, it is possible to recruit a Republican candidate to replace Secretary of State Mike Coffman, but there is a catch. The current, willing Republican candidate is Arapahoe County Clerk Nancy Doty. I will tell you about the catch in a moment.

A MEETING

I met this evening with our hard-working, heroic, thoughtful State Party Chairman, Dick Wadhams [Pols emphasis], who personally told me "he never backs down" but expressed grave concerns about the possibility of trouble in the event of an extremely close race and how it might turn out if Mike Coffman was not at the helm of the SOS office.

The experience I gained from working in the SOS office allowed me to explain to the Chairman, his concerns were based on rules that were changed after the 2000 elections to prevent Florida-like situations. In 2006, there were issues with long lines and slow voting machines, these were not related to the actual counting of votes. While many were up late on election day, waiting for the results, accuracy was not an issue.

Additionally, the most recent election rules were posted on July 11 2008 and can be found at http://www.elections.colorado.... making it nearly impossible for any last minute changes without some unexpected natural disaster.

The point is, the system worked in 2006, it worked last week and will work again on November 4th.

THE CATCH

It is possible to hold on to the SOS office, but it will take more effort than what they were planning this year.

The financial and volunteer resources of the State Party are committed to a Presidential and Senate race so there was no plan to take on yet another statewide race. XXXX, this is where you come in. [Pols emphasis]

THE TWO OPTIONS:

1) The first, easiest option is the Edmund Burke version, good men can do nothing. The result will be Secretary Coffman is elected to fill the shoes of Congressman Tancredo. When Congressman Elect Coffman resigns as SOS, after the November election, Governor Ritter appoints his favorite Democrat as SOS to make the rules for the next two years.

If there is some kind of problem on November 4, (like Florida) the Attorney General's Office will be required to review the case based on the rules established July 11th. Congressman Elect Coffman will be able to relay the findings to the public. No new rules are allowed to be made.

2) The second option requires a little more effort (this would apply to both the Republicans and the Democrats). Secretary Coffman would need to resign in the next few days. The State Party needs to have a Central Committee "call" to nominate and elect a candidate. Then the candidate would be included on the Colorado Ballot.

Make no mistake, when Secretary Coffman resigns, this will result in Governor Ritter appointing someone to the SOS office prior to the November election (that person, or someone else must run for office too).

If there is some kind of problem (like Florida) the Attorney General's Office will be required to review the case based on the rules established July 11th. The Ritter appointee will be able to relay the findings to the public. No new rules are allowed to be made.

Sound familiar? The same rules apply from July 11, 2008 until the end of the election. That is the law.[Pols emphasis]

The major difference is the Ritter appointee gets up to two years with a Democratic Governor and Legislature to change the rules, or the Ritter appointee gets to watch an election happen based on rules established under the thoughtful guidance of Secretary Coffman. and do nothing else.

THE PLAN

As I said, XXXXX, the financial and volunteer resources of the State Party are committed to a Presidential and Senate race so there was no plan to take on yet another statewide race.

According to Political Director/Legal Council Ryan Call, "...the Party could nominate a GOP candidate to the general election ballot, if the Party was able to convene the vacancy committee to designate a candidate on or before August 28 (68 days before the general election).."

How can you make a difference.

Contact Political Director, Ryan Call (303) 758-3333 x108 (ryan@cologop.org) or Chairman Dick Wadhams (720) 377-1600 (dickwadhams@cologop.org) at the state party headquarters and pledge your support to keep the Secretary of State office in Republican hands.

There is not a lot of time, but we have the guy who removed the top Democrat challengers at the helm and he needs your input now. A pledge of support, exclusively for the keeping the Colorado Secretary of State in Republican hands may make a difference.

This may be our only chance to balance the continued takeover of Colorado by well funded Democrats and may make a difference by dividing their resources as they too had no plans to mount a statewide campaign for the SOS office.

THE GOOD MAN

Dick Wadhams is a king maker, he is the Colorado State GOPs crown jewel, he has done the impossible for Republicans across the country, but this was so unexpected that he now needs your commitment and encouragement to believe it can and should be done.[Pols emphasis - THIS was unexpected???]

Thank you for your long time support of Republican candidates, together we can prevail and help a good man do something!

Call (303) 758-3333 now, leave a message, do this for the Republican Party, the State and the protection of your right to vote.

Sincerely,
Dan

P.S. - This email is being sent to my personal newsletter list and was NOT authorized by any candidate, committee or chairman. This is not a solicitation for money on behalf of anyone.

P.P.S. - Please pass on the information to others in Colorado who you believe might be interested in helping.

P.P.P.S. - More Colorado GOP contacts: www.cologop.org/ContactUs.aspx

Legal types will want to read more:
------------------- COLORADO ELECTION LAW "TITLE 1"

(7) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (7.3) of this section, any vacancy in a statewide or county office, in the office of district attorney, or in the office of a state senator occurring during a term of office shall be filled at the next general election with nomination or designation by the political party as follows:

(a) If the vacancy occurs prior to the political party assembly, the designated election official shall notify the chairperson of each major political party that the office will be on the ballot for the next primary election, and candidates for the office shall be designated as provided in section 1-4-601 or 1-4-603.

(b) If the vacancy occurs after the political party assembly and no later than sixty-eight days before the primary election, the designated election official shall add the office to the notice of election and notify the chairperson of each major political party that the office will be on the ballot for the next primary election. Candidates for the office shall be designated as provided in section 1-4-603 or by the respective party central committee vacancy committee for the state, county, judicial district, or state senate district.

(c) If the vacancy occurs during the sixty-seven days before the primary election or after the primary election and no later than sixty-eight days before the general election, the designated election official shall add the office to the notice of election for the general election. Nominations for the office shall be made by the respective party central committee vacancy committee for the state, county, judicial district, or state senate district or as provided in section 1-4-802 for the nomination of unaffiliated candidates.

--------------------------------------

ll SPEClAL ELECTlONS AND VACANClES
Section
2327 Proceedings
2332 When officer qualify Elected
2328 Special elections Canvass and appointed hold different
2329 Vacancies in general assembly terms Governor issue writs of
2333 Vacancies in county office election County commissioners ap
2330 Vacancy in congress point
2331 Vacancies in state and county

2331 Vacancies How filled All vacancies in any state or county office and in the supreme or district courts unless otherwise provided for by law shall be filled by appointment by the governor until the next general election after such vacancy occurs when such vacancy shall be filled by election and the district judge shall fill all vacancies in the office of district attorney in his district by appointment until the next general election

GS 1159 GL 935 This section is referred to in People vs Wright 6 Colo 92 95
96 144 ELECTION LAWS

The Election Laws of the State of Colorado Annotated Primary and General Amended to June 1st, 1921, and Governing Elections of 1921 and 1922 By Colorado, Colorado, Colorado Dept. of State, Dept. of State, Colorado Attorney-General's Office, Attorney-General's Office