Steve Schleiker, El Paso County Clerk and Recorder

El Paso County Clerk Steve Schleiker Addressed the Republican Strategy Forum (RSF) on Midterm Election Preparations

El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Steve Schleiker spoke at the September 2 Republican Strategy Forum, outlining the county’s extensive preparations for the November election and expressing concerns about statewide election administration.

Schleiker said he expects midterm turnout in El Paso County to exceed 75 percent, well above the typical 50 percent. He emphasized the importance of high participation to offset votes from more liberal counties such as Denver and Boulder. The county currently has between 500,000 and 525,000 active voters out of roughly 625,000 total active and inactive registered voters.

Voting Access and Infrastructure

The county will operate a record 41 in-person vote centers and 44 ballot drop boxes—the highest number in Colorado due to its population size. Schleiker credited strong local relationships for allowing the use of private and public spaces. Years ago, the Clerk paid $20,000 for the vote center space at Chapel Hills Mall. The county no longer contracts with Chapel Hills Mall due to the cost.

Ballots for UOCAVA voters will be mailed September 14, with the remaining ballots scheduled for October 5. The county has contracted with a new vendor, K&H, and Schleiker plans to observe printing operations in Everett, Washington. El Paso County already meets 90 percent of new U.S. Postal Service tracking requirements through the use of barcodes.

Confidential Voter Data and Criticisms of the Secretary of State

Schleiker sharply criticized Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, citing multiple issues including the erroneous mailing of voter registration cards to approximately 30,000 unqualified individuals on two occasions, the release of BIOS passwords for state election equipment just prior to the 2024 election, and the disclosure of over 133,000 confidential voter records. He noted that the data included Michael Allen, a candidate for Attorney General.

The Clerk highlighted two categories of confidential voter status: the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) for victims of stalking or abuse, and a broader category now available at no cost to anyone, including peace officers, judges, and attorneys. He referenced a past case in which a former Director of the Department of Corrections was killed after his address in Monument was obtained from public records.

Schleiker also expressed disappointment with the Colorado Clerks Association, which he left last year, saying it has failed to adequately represent clerks and voters.

Voter Roll Maintenance and Legislative Issues

A member of RSF has encountered two people on her walking app (Voter Rolls) that never registered to vote in CO, one was not a citizen. This brought the discussion to the Motor Voter system in CO and other blue states. When an individual goes to the DMV to update their address, they are being automatically registered to vote. To remove themselves from the voter rolls, they must return a postcard indicating such. Unfortunately, this is putting illegals and other immigrants on the voter rolls that are not citizens. There are currently two non-citizens in El Paso County caught in this situation. Their application for citizenship is being delayed because it was discovered they were on the voter rolls illegally, but most likely due to automatic motor voter.

The county uses ELLY and Experian to maintain voter rolls. Schleiker has sought access to the state juror system to help identify non-citizens but has so far been unsuccessful. He noted that two non-citizens in El Paso County were recently discovered on the rolls, likely through the Motor Voter process at the DMV. Both are applying to be citizens but because of their voter registration, their application is on hold. Secretary of State has so far refused to help clear up the issue.

Schleiker has been fighting the state for access to the state juror system because non-citizens are not allowed to be a juror. So far, he is losing this battle, but with the recent action by the Federal government with President Trump’s Executive Order, help may be around the corner.

CO is in a fight with Department of Homeland Security and refusing to provide their voter rolls to be analyzed for non-citizens. Schleiker is receptive to utilizing the help of the Federal government to remove non-citizens from the voter rolls. 

Schleiker also addressed House Bill 26-1113, which requires a $50 fee to challenge voter registrations. Schleiker said he will not charge citizens for such challenges and welcomes public assistance in keeping rolls accurate.

Ballot Size, Costs, and Election Operations

This November, voters will decide on 17 statewide initiatives, resulting in an 18-inch ballot printed on a single page. Schleiker noted that turnout typically drops when ballots extend to a second page. Ballot certification is scheduled for Friday (9/4/2026), with sample ballots available in approximately one week later through the county’s Voter Information Portal.

The Voter Information Portal is being updated to include a sample ballot based on each address. Voters can review their ballot long before they receive it in the mail. There will also be links to other sites to help explain the initiatives, the Blue Book, and information on Judges up for re-election.

The county expects to hire more than 1,000 election judges for the general election, up from 350 for the June primary. National media outlets are anticipated due to the county’s size and demographics. El Paso County is projected to spend $2.5–2.7 million on the election, primarily for election judges.

Schleiker said the county is adding four new ballot boxes to include at a small university satellite location downtown, as required by recent legislation, at a cost of $50,000 each. He also noted that unfunded mandates from the legislature have increased 18 percent and that HB 26-1113 moved several deadlines forward by one week.

Schleiker sited a recent report by Bob Cooper at Rocky Mountain Voice stating that CO is losing $1.7M in each election due to undeliverable ballots.

Call for Participation

Schleiker closed by urging strong turnout, stating that a high participation rate in El Paso County can help counterbalance votes from liberal-leaning areas. He encouraged citizens to assist with voter roll maintenance and to use the county’s resources, including the revised website that will consolidate ballot information from multiple sources once the ballot is finalized.