There are four elected constitutional offices in Colorado: Governor (with Lieutenant Governor as running mate), Attorney General, Treasurer, and Secretary of State. As in most states, the Secretary of State has a vital role in how elections are run in the state. This year, Colorado has had a setback in democracy when Governor Jared Polis commuted the sentence for Tina Peters, an election official who was convicted on seven of ten charges of engaging in a security breach to advance a false conspiracy theory of election fraud. Peters, from the right-wing western part of the state (centered around Grand Junction, former home base of right-wing Congresswoman Lauren Boebert), allowed QAnon conspiracy theory proponents access to Mesa County’s election machines to download sensitive voting data after the 2020 presidential election. Peters continues to maintain that the 2020 election was stolen, and after Trump pardoned her on federal charges last year, Polis commuted her sentence this year (against all advice from legal experts) and she is now a free woman, continuing to spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

With threats to democracy like Tina Peters a continuing problem, Colorado needs a strong Secretary of State to ensure that democracy continues to be protected in the Centennial State. Amanda Gonzalez (she/her), is running for that office this year. A bisexual millennial attorney, she is currently the Clerk and Recorder for Jefferson County, Colorado. Amanda is a member of the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, Colorado Women's Bar Association, and Colorado LGBTQ+ Bar Association. She is running to protect every Coloradan’s vote from interference, expand voting rights, and keep Colorado’s election system secure.

Where are you based?
Colorado, just west of Denver

What position are you running for?
Colorado Secretary of State

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
My platform is rooted in a simple belief: democracy works best when everyone can participate and when government is accountable to the people, not special interests.

As Secretary of State, I'll protect Colorado's nation-leading voting system, defend the freedom to vote from political attacks, expand access for historically underrepresented communities, and strengthen transparency in elections and campaign finance. I'll modernize the Secretary of State's office to make it easier for Coloradans to access services, start businesses, and engage with their government.

At a time when democracy is under attack across the country, Colorado needs a proven elections leader who has written election laws, run elections, and successfully defended the right to vote. I'm running to ensure our democracy remains secure, accessible, and worthy of the people it serves.

What inspired you to run?
I never planned on running for office.

My passion has always been voting rights because I believe they're the foundation of all our other rights. It doesn't matter what issue you care about—workers' rights, reproductive freedom, civil rights, public education, climate change—if people can't meaningfully participate in our democracy, all of those rights become harder to protect.

That's why I spent most of my career outside elected office. I was a voting rights attorney, helped write election laws, and led one of Colorado's leading democracy organizations. My goal was never to climb a political ladder. My goal was to make our democracy stronger.

But we're living through a moment when democratic institutions are under attack and we've seen the consequences of putting people in positions of public trust who lack the experience, expertise, or commitment the job requires. At a time like this, politics as usual isn't enough.

The next Secretary of State will oversee Colorado's elections during one of the most consequential periods in our democracy's history. I wasn't looking for the next step in a political career. I'm running because my community needs someone who has spent their life doing this work, understands what's at stake, and is ready to lead on day one.

I believe public office is a responsibility, not an entitlement. And when the work you've dedicated your life to needs defending, you step up.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
I want to help build a democracy where people believe their voice matters and where participation is treated as a right, not a privilege.

For too many Americans, government feels distant, unresponsive, or captured by powerful interests. At the same time, we've seen a coordinated effort to undermine trust in elections and democratic institutions. I believe we have to respond by making our democracy more inclusive, more transparent, and more accountable.

In Colorado, that means leading with real progressive values. Protecting and expanding access to the ballot, ensuring election workers can do their jobs safely, making government services easier to access, and increasing transparency around money in politics. It means defending a system where every eligible voter can participate and every valid vote is counted.

More broadly, I want to help create a country where democracy is something people experience—not just on Election Day, but every day. A country where working people, young people, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and historically marginalized communities see themselves reflected in government and have a real voice in the decisions that affect their lives.

The change I'm fighting for isn't just better elections. It's a stronger democracy—one that is worthy of the people it serves.

What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
I have served as Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder since January 2023, but my work in democracy and voting rights spans nearly two decades.

One of the things I'm most proud of is that I've written and passed election laws that have impacted every voter throughout Colorado. I've built the system in Colorado that makes our democracy more accessible, inclusive, and representative of the people it serves.

In particular, I'm proud of my work expanding language access for voters. I wrote and helped pass legislation requiring more counties to provide translated ballots and election materials, ensuring that more Coloradans can read and understand their ballot in the language they are most comfortable using. Democracy works best when voters can fully participate, and language should never be a barrier to casting an informed ballot.

I'm also proud of my work expanding voting access for eligible voters in jail. Thousands of people in county jails are eligible because they are awaiting trial or are serving time for misdemeanor sentences. For years, many of these voters faced significant obstacles to exercising their rights. I helped lead efforts to create meaningful access to the ballot for eligible incarcerated voters, including supporting legislation that established in-person voting opportunities in county jails.

As Clerk and Recorder, I've had the opportunity to put those values into practice—running secure, accessible elections for hundreds of thousands of voters while expanding access, increasing transparency, and strengthening public trust in our democratic institutions.

Courtesy of Jefferson County Clerk's and Sheriff's Offices

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
The most important issue facing our country right now is whether ordinary people still have a voice in our democracy.

People are struggling with the cost of housing, healthcare, childcare, and basic economic security. Meanwhile, billionaires have extra money to flood our political system and make politicians bend to their priorities. At the same time, we're seeing attacks on voting rights, civil rights, and democratic institutions. Those challenges are all connected.

I've always believed that voting rights are the foundation of all other rights. If people can't make their voices heard, it's much harder to hold power accountable or create change.

That's why my focus is protecting the freedom to vote, strengthening trust in our elections, and ensuring government works for the people it's supposed to serve—not just the wealthy, well-connected, or politically powerful.

Democracy isn't a spectator sport. My job is to make sure every eligible voter has a seat at the table.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
One of the biggest myths in American politics is that ordinary people are as divided as our politicians and cable news would have us believe.

The truth is that most people want many of the same things: a safe place to live, a good job, affordable healthcare, quality schools, and the freedom to make their own decisions about their lives and families.

But there are powerful interests that benefit when we're divided. It's a lot easier to protect concentrated wealth and power when working people are fighting each other instead of asking why the system isn't working for them.

I don't believe the answer is pretending our differences don't exist. I believe the answer is building institutions that treat everyone fairly, telling the truth even when it's difficult, and focusing on the issues that actually affect people's lives.

As an election official, I've spent years serving Republicans, Democrats, and unaffiliated voters alike. I've learned that trust isn't built by demanding agreement—it's built by showing people respect and delivering results.

We don't have to agree on everything to believe that everyone deserves a voice and that our democracy should work for all of us.

How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
What makes me unique in this race isn't just who I am—it's what I've done.

I'm the only candidate who has actually run elections. Today, I oversee elections for hundreds of thousands of voters in Jefferson County, one of the largest election jurisdictions in Colorado. At a time when election administration is increasingly under attack experience matters.

I'm also the only attorney in the race. The Secretary of State's office sits at the intersection of election law, campaign finance, business regulation, and constitutional rights. My legal background helps me navigate complex legal challenges and defend Colorado's election system.

And I'm the only candidate who has served as the chief executive of a large organization. I manage a $20 million organization with 115 full-time employees and up to 900 election judges during major elections. I've led large teams, managed complex budgets, and delivered critical public services under pressure.

I would also be the first Latina and first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as Colorado's chief elections officer. Representation alone isn't a qualification, but it does matter. As someone who has often been the first—or the only—I understand the importance of building institutions where everyone feels seen, heard, and included.

At a moment when our democracy faces real challenges, Colorado doesn't need on-the-job training. It needs a proven democracy defender who is ready to lead on day one.

What is your motto in life?
A better world is possible—and we're responsible for building it.

Progress isn't inevitable. Every right we enjoy, every opportunity we've been given, and every improvement in our communities exists because people before us chose to act. That belief has guided my career in public service, voting rights, and democracy reform. If we want a more just, inclusive, and democratic future, it's up to all of us to help create it.

Where can we find out more about you?
I’m on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and Threads @AmandaForColorado

Join our movement to take our democracy back at www.AmandaForColorado.com

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Amanda Gonzalez, Colorado Secretary of State