Colorado election workers could soon get new protections against threats, doxxing

Threatening a Colorado election worker in an attempt to keep them from doing their job or in response to them performing their official duties would be a crime under a bill introduced by Democrats in the state legislature.

House Bill 1273 would also prohibit people from publicly posting the personal information — such as their address, telephone number or photo — of an election official or their immediate family if doing so poses an imminent and serious safety threat.

“The reality is we do have to have this conversation, given what’s been happening in the country over the last couple of years,” said Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat and prime sponsor of the bill. “I think it’s important to be extra clear that we do have additional protections for people who work to make sure our democracy functions.”

The bill comes amid a yearslong effort by the legislature to create new protections for government workers, be they elected officials or those in public health, against threats and doxxing. It also comes during a push by state lawmakers this year to provide more security for Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat who has been the target of death threats stemming from conspiracy theories about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2022/03/03/colorado-elections-workers-threats-doxxing-bill/