In May, Face The State published applications for the position of state elections director, which we obtained through the Colorado Open Records Act. The director is tasked with overseeing the state's election and campaign finance reporting processes in conjunction with county clerks. As we later learned, the most revealing part of the application - a "narrative exam" - wasn't released. Officials with the secretary of state's office cite exceptions under state law for certain application records. In response, we contacted each applicant asking they voluntarily make their exam public.
The exam contains details on applicants’ training, experience and interest as it pertains to the elections director position. Jan Tyler, a former Denver Election Commissioner and author of the Election Neutrality Now blog, called Colorado’s application process “very efficient” and the exam component “cutting edge.”
Of the eight applicants, only Harvie Branscomb, CEO of a software development company and primary backer of moving Colorado to an all paper balloting system, provided a copy of his exam.
Adams County Public Trustee Carol Snyder told Face The State she withdrew her application and thus never completed the exam. Denver attorney Carolyn Powell said she was recently notified by the Secretary of State’s Office via e-mail that she did not meet the "minimum requirements" for the position. According the Powell, the e-mail did not provide details on a specific deficiency.
Both attorney Judd Choate and Michael Scarpello, elections director for the City and County of Denver, declined to provide a copy of their narrative exams. Wayne Munster, who is serving as interim elections director, and corporate attorney Lori Ann Knutson did not return calls by press time. Amy Storm, former chief deputy clerk and recorder in Mesa County, could not be reached.
Peruse Branscomb’s exam, available here (PDF). FTS will update this page if and when any other applicants elect to make theirs public.
The position has not yet been filled and the secretary of state's office has previously said there is no firm timeline for the hiring process.