craigdailypress.com

Colorado Treasurer Mike Coffman said a recent tour serving as a civil affairs officer in Iraq with his U.S. Marine Corps unit reinforced just how important voting is to the sanctity of America.

"I think, out of all the freedoms Americans have, voting is the most sacred," Coffman said. "I would protect not only that right, but also the integrity of the process."

And it's the new job Coffman has targeted -- secretary of state -- that would allow him to do it. The long-time Republican stopped in Craig on Friday during a campaign swing through Northwest Colorado.

He said his top priorities as secretary of state, in addition to ensuring a fair voting process, would be restoring the public's confidence in electronic voting machines in Colorado, certifying electronic voting machines and tightening the voter registration process.

He said the current state requirements for voter registration are lax and that he would propose legislation preventing voter fraud. Photo identification is not required to register, though a picture ID is necessary to vote.

Coffman is in favor of requiring picture ID when registering.

Coffman was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1988 and the state Senate in 1994, where he would become the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He was elected treasurer in 1998, and re-elected in 2002.

He faces Democrat Ken Gordon, who made his own campaign stop in Craig this week. Gordon, a state legislator for 14 years, and the majority leader for the past two years, visited with the Moffat County Clerk and Recorder's Office during his visit to the area.

Coffman, like Gordon, said the race for office is too close to call at this point. He said voters should lean his way Nov. 7 because of his past experience of being a leader in military, government and business have prepared him well for the office.

He also pledged to bring bi-partisanship to the secretary's office by "rising above party interest."