Thank you/Follow up on your question

[Manny Lopez del Rio]

Commissioner Kefalas,

 

Thank you for taking the time to talk to me last week. I found the conversation to be informative and productive.

 

I wanted to follow up on the question you had for me on term limits for commissioners in Colorado, and how they differ across the state. I’ve copied our Deputy Secretary of State, Chris Beall, to help us get this question answered for you. Feel free to add any context you think would better help us get you a more specific answer.

 

If you need to get a hold of our Chief of Staff, John Magnino, he is cc’d on this email.

 

Hope you are well.

 

Best,

 

 

 

Manny Lopez del Rio

Director of Public Engagement | Office of Sec of State Jena Griswold

303.563.9144

manny.lo...@coloradosos.gov

1700 Broadway, Suite 550

Denver, CO 80290

Visit us at ColoradoSOS.gov

Our Core Values are To serve • To innovate • To act with integrity • To strive for excellence • To be inclusive

 

[Chris Beall]

Dear Commissioner Kefalas,

 

I trust this email finds you well.  I am following up here on our Manny Lopez Del Rio’s email today after he spoke with you last week.

 

As you may be aware, the citizen initiative that was passed in 1994 to create term limits for state and local elected offices through Article XVIII, section 11 of the Colorado Constitution applies to all counties, regardless of whether the county is a “home rule” county or otherwise. (https://codes.findlaw.com/co/colorado-constitution-of-1876/co-const-art-xviii-sect-11/.)  Under paragraph 2 of this constitutional provision, citizens may vote to change or eliminate the otherwise applicable two-term limit for elected offices.

 

In 2023, the Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI) organization published an analysis of the status of various counties’ decisions on whether to opt out of the constitution’s term limits.  That analysis is attached here and may be reached at this URL: https://ccionline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2023-Term-Limits-by-Office.pdf.

 

The Secretary of State’s office does not directly regulate ballot-access issues for county-level races, which are generally supervised by each county’s Clerk & Recorder, acting as the “designated election official” for the county.  (Albeit, under supervision from the Secretary of State as the chief state election officer.)  As a result, if you have questions about the mechanics of Larimer County’s term-limit opt-out votes, I encourage you to consult with Clerk & Recorder Tina Harris or your county attorney.

 

Please let me know if we can be of any additional assistance.

 

Best wishes,

Chris Beall

 

Christopher P. Beall

Deputy Secretary of State

Cell - 303.549.0000

[John Kefalas]

Chris and Manny,

Thank you for this very interesting and useful follow-up information to our term limit conversation, which I will share accordingly. I also felt our 9/12 meeting was most informative and productive. It is always good to build relationships. 

	John Kefalas (he/him) County Commissioner, District 1
	Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St | 2nd Floor PO Box 1190, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1190 W: (970) 498-7001 Cell:  (720) 254-7598 jkef...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org