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The Sky-Hi News is running Q&As with the two candidates running for a four-year term as Grand County Clerk and Recorder.

The vote will be part of the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, and is being conducted as a mail ballot election. Ballots were mailed out starting Monday, Oct. 17. The last recommended day for voters to mail in ballots is Oct. 31, and polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 8. For more information, visit https://www.co.grand.co.us/147/Elections.

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Abby Loberg believes voting should be accessible and safe

Name: Abby Loberg
Occupation: Employed part-time in the Grand County Clerk and Recorder’s Office
Place of residence: “About halfway between Granby and Tabernash”
Length of residence in Grand County: 30 years

Sara Rosene is highly regarded in the county for her work as clerk and recorder. How could you improve upon her work?

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Sara has had both candidates working and training in the office since August to give us more experience before the election. I have found Sara and her staff to be competent and efficient, and think that the only way to improve things is to work hard to bring the office back to being fully staffed, so they can serve customers during all the open hours at the courthouse.

What will you do to assure voter safety in this and coming elections?

Voter safety has become a serious issue in the past few years. I recently viewed a training video from the Department of Homeland Security on how to assess and de-escalate threats at polling centers in the upcoming election. Threats are being amplified online and on social media. Since most of our election judges are local people who are often retired, their main focus has always been to help voters with the process. Now clerks need to learn to work more closely with law enforcement at all levels (local, state and national) to ensure that everyone can safely vote. There is a very fine line between being accessible and being safe. I’m running because I believe we can still be both.

Did the current president win his seat in a fair and legitimate election?

The 2020 election was fair and accurate. Numerous attempts at lawsuits, recounts and audits have confirmed the election results. Unfortunately, Jan. 6, 2021, showed that there is a small but vocal group who supports the former president’s attempts to overturn the will of the people. The Mesa County Clerk acted on that belief, broke the law and has now cost her county’s taxpayers $1.3 million to replace compromised election equipment. In contrast, Sara Rosene has been the embodiment of a nonpartisan election official. I’m running to continue that legacy. The data proves that there was no widespread voter fraud that changed any results in the election. 

How can government bridge the political divide in America?

An old saying goes, “all politics are local.” When the government can listen to the community it serves, invite people to participate in solutions, and prove that it is doing the job it’s being paid to do, that can go a long way. But, the conversation needs to go both ways. If the government employees — including election workers – are being harassed or threatened, then it breeds fear and mistrust. Government employees are people doing jobs to serve their communities. Honest, open, and civil conversations between people, especially at the local level, can help to restore trust in government.

What aspects of the clerk and recorder position most excite you?

I’m always excited to learn new things, and I’ve really enjoyed learning how to update voter registrations. I’ve been happy to learn how many safeguards are built into the system, and want to communicate those to voters. As a civics teacher I always loved teaching my students about the voting process, especially the ways that voters in Colorado can directly vote on our state laws and amendments. I look forward to working on elections and the voting process in Grand County. I’ve also enjoyed listening to the issuing of marriage licenses. It just seems like a very happy time in peoples’ lives, and it’s nice to be a part of that process.

Jolene Linke plans to improve on former clerk’s performance and follow the law

Sara Rosene is highly regarded in the county for her work as clerk and recorder. How could you improve upon her work?

I agree with this opinion, and I pledge to carry on the office of clerk and recorder with honesty and integrity. I will work to employ enough people to open the driver’s license office and stagger lunch hours to keep the office open during lunch time.

What will you do to assure voter safety in this and coming elections?

I will follow the laws, because that is required! With mail-in and out ballots, there should be no safety issues since voters can bring their ballot to a local ballot box, mail it or deliver it to the clerk’s office. They have plenty of time to do this, so they can avoid going on a day when the roads are dangerous. 

Did the current president win his seat in a fair and legitimate election? 

I am seeking the office of clerk and recorder to serve the people of Grand County with the same commitment Sarah Rosene has brought to the office for 30-plus years. I want to continue that excellence and even expand hours with opening the driver’s license office, and staggering lunch hours.

How can government bridge the political divide in America? 

The clerk is to be nonpolitical. That bridges the divide locally. 

What aspects of the clerk and recorder position most excite you?

The clerk is responsible for several different jobs: recording, motor vehicle titles and registration, vital records, elections and voter roll maintenance, and commissioner minutes. There will be no chance for boredom in this job.