Republican:  El Paso County, CO

CLERK & RECORDER CANDIDATES

PETER  LUPIA

Candidate Information

Campaign Website URL:       www.VotePeterLupia.com

Email Address:       VotePeterLupia@protonmail.com

Occupation/Vocation:       Business Consultant

Military Background:       Air Force family

Resident of the El Paso County:       Personally 22 years, family is now in 5th generation of residency               

Experience

What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as Clerk and Recorder that will benefit our county?

I hold a Bachelor of Science degree with concentrations in Marketing, Finance, and Business Administration, with MBA coursework focused in International Business. I spent a decade within the public and non-profit sectors as a Subject Matter Expert for the development, implementation, operation, and oversight of multi-million dollar local, regional, and statewide programs. Since relocating to Colorado I successfully launched entrepreneurial endeavors in finance and security technology and have served in long-term chief officer level roles for consulting clients across a wide variety of industries. I have served on numerous local, regional, and national boards and advisory committees for non-profit, education, and ministry organizations including currently serving in leadership for the Culture Impact Team at Church For All Nations.

Vision

What is your vision for being our county’s Clerk and Recorder?

I am not a politician and had no intention of running for office but am tired of the same group of establishment people cycling through elected positions. Recycled elected officials have only lost freedoms and liberties, flaunted and disregarded laws, enforced government overreach and policies that do not serve We The People. Recycling candidates, supported and endorsed by the same organizations and other recycled candidates, has been to our detriment and resulted in elected office career building in government. I am in this race because without a truly conservative candidate option this office will suffer from career building versus statesman leadership. An entrepreneurial, outside the box attitude and mind-set focused on solid stewardship of our tax dollars is my vision.

Clerk and Recorder's Role

What are the roles, rights, and duties of the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder?

The role of a County Clerk & Recorder’s office is to oversee elections, administrate DMV services, serve as clerk to the County Commission, manage recorded documents, issue marriage licenses, and provide other approved constituent services. State statutes provide the rights and responsibilities Clerks have regarding how to administrate their numerous roles. The duty of Clerks is to follow state and federal constitutions and laws with regard to performance of their roles, especially with regard to elections. It is the sworn duty of Clerks to oppose rules, orders, or mandates that are illegitimate or illegally instituted (by decree) by higher offices, such as the Secretary of State, in contradiction to state and federal constitutions and laws.

Operational Changes

How would you run the Clerk and Recorder’s office differently from your predecessor?

While I am not granted access to the current day-to-day operations of the office, I can speak to potential changes based on constituent input. First, provide a less complex and more user-friendly public interface for internet-based information, searches, and services. Second, I would not authorize Clerk-collected taxpayer funds be given to other taxpayer funded entities. The current Clerk recently issued a press release celebrating the ongoing transfer of $60K per year to fund new staff within a separate government entity struggling with funding and budget needs. I firmly believe in responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds and the return of excesses to We The People versus transferring monies to other government entities working to supplement their own struggling budget.

Election Integrity

Is the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Election Department doing enough to ensure election integrity? If not, what are your proposals to secure our Colorado Elections?

Contrary to the narrative of election transparency, accuracy, and integrity given to the media, the reality has been the opposite. The current Clerk has followed illegitimate election orders and defended those actions at every opportunity. Private citizens and election integrity organizations have sought information and cooperation from the Clerk only to be rebuffed, given partial or misleading responses, or “smoke and mirrors” data. The situation is serious enough that the Republican canvassing judge was unwilling to certify the 2021 election results. A new and higher standard, diligently following state and federal constitutions and election laws, regardless of decrees from the Secretary of State, is what I will bring to the office. My opponent commits to more of the same.

Colorado Secretary of State

Do you believe that Colorado’s current Secretary of State is facilitating or hindering the Clerk and Recorder’s performance of sworn duties?

The environment Clerks are working in is a threatening one. Clerks who follow state and federal laws regarding the maintenance and record keeping of ballots and election results are being pursued via criminal complaints for performing their sworn duties. The fact that Clerks are being threatened and forced by the Secretary of State to submit to unlawful rules and orders and are by proclamation forbidden from forensically auditing questionable findings within their jurisdiction is unacceptable. A pattern of pursuing Clerks and limiting their abilities to perform their sworn duties continues to spread across the state with additional unlawful rules and orders being regularly decreed in an attempt to place more restrictions on Clerks working to fulfill their sworn duties.

Satellite Offices

Given the population growth in Colorado Springs, what is your position on the number and operation of satellite offices that the Clerk and Recorder currently has in place?

Based on the current and projected growth patterns of El Paso County I believe we need to actively explore opportunities to economically partner with other municipal and/or county organizations, most of whom are already in expansion mode, to create satellite service centers that offer expanded reach to constituents. New service centers in the Monument, Falcon/Peyton, and Fountain geographic areas warrant study as an opportunity to improve accessibility to all services across the entirety of the Clerk & Recorder’s divisions, especially DMV services. As the largest county by population in Colorado, we need to move away from just a few centralized service centers within urban core areas when growth is primarily occurring in suburban and rural areas.

Department Priorities

What are your priorities for the following departments: a. Recording, b. Motor Vehicles, c. Election

Recording: Eliminate or reduce non-statutory fees for both recording and retrieval of documents. Expand online access to searches and retrieval of all feasible document platforms to reduce constituent effort and expense in retrieval of documents.

Motor Vehicles: Eliminate or reduce non-statutory fees, many being merely repackaged local and state tax initiatives previously voted down by We The People. Work to decrease wait times and bring back in-person services that have been relegated to technology/internet-based interactions only.

Elections: Present election plans and budgets that call for the cancellation of all Dominion voting systems contracts in El Paso County and a return to in-person ballot delivery on election day, accompanied by photo ID, with hand counting at the precinct level.

STEVE  SCHLEIKER

Candidate Information

Campaign Website URL:       www.SteveSchleiker.com

Email Address:       Schleiker4ElPasoCounty@gmail.com

Occupation/Vocation:       El Paso County Assessor

Military Background:       Veteran / United States Marine Corps

Resident of the El Paso County:       47 years, which was not continuous due to military service and deployment

Experience

What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as Clerk and Recorder that will benefit our county?

Having worked on behalf of our citizens as Assessor since 2014, I have long labored for positive change in our community by focusing on proactively educating our citizens, clearing the ambiguity from complicated state laws and processes, and responding quickly with a positive, helpful approach. I want to continue the great work of our Clerk & Recorder Team by bringing the fresh ideas and positive solutions sought by our voters.

You have entrusted me as your Assessor to support and fight for some of your most important, individual rights such as your Property Rights, our TABOR Amendment, Sexual Abuse / Domestic Violence Victim confidentiality, unfair State Taxation, and strong changes to your Senior Homestead and Disabled Veteran Exemption Programs.

Vision

What is your vision for being our county’s Clerk and Recorder?

  1. Regaining public trust in our local elections. We need to give the citizens the agency and space they need to feel empowered. Lock in Open Government reforms.
  2. Ensuring Government Efficiency and Fiscal Responsibility. I am the only proven fiscal conservative in this race.
  3. Stand and fight back against continued yearly Title and Registration Fees and Taxes.
  4. Continue to be that consistent voice supporting our Seniors and Veterans.
  5. Continually enhance the Clerk & Recorder’s website and online services. Your Assessor’s website receives nearly 49 million hits a year and is recognized as the best site throughout the State. I can do the same with the Clerk’s.
  6. Never be satisfied with business as usual.

Clerk and Recorder's Role

What are the roles, rights, and duties of the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder?

Per State Statute, the Office of Clerk & Recorder is where many of the transactions between the County Government and its citizens occur. This office is where you go to be issued a marriage license, search for land records and deeds, title your vehicle, renew your vehicle registration, and register to vote. This office is also responsible for conducting all County Elections.

In essence, the Clerk & Recorder’s Office is the face of County Governement.

Operational Changes

How would you run the Clerk and Recorder’s office differently from your predecessor?

Fewer than half of our residents are very confident that their vote will be counted correctly – and most say their ballot will not matter anyway because the political process is so dominated by corporate interests.

Implement a visual GIS (Geographic Information System) tool which would allow our citizens to view maps from the precinct level up to the county-wide level which would show total votes.

Query Assessor, Treasurer, Utility, Realtor, and Coroner data to assist in the cleaning up of our voter rolls. Join the Clerks Executive Committee to testify and proactively fight bad legislation affecting our community.

Contract with our local National Cyber – Intelligence Center to verify the validity, security, and function of all election hardware and software.

Election Integrity

Is the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Election Department doing enough to ensure election integrity? If not, what are your proposals to secure our Colorado Elections?

Currently, our El Paso County Clerk and Recorder and his staff have worked tirelessly to ensure safeguards are in place to secure the integrity of the process. In fact, it is those safeguards that discovered there was an issue with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Election Night Reporting system in 2021. However, I do not believe that there is a perfect office or department. Staff and processes can always be improved, and I have some ideas on that from that include:

  1. Transparency focus
  2. Regaining citizens credibility in government
  3. Providing more online services
  4. Facilitating citizen education (Town Halls / Meet & Greets)
  5. Conducting staff education
  6. Incorporating statistical and operational audit procedures in all departments, including elections, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness for our citizens.

Colorado Secretary of State

Do you believe that Colorado’s current Secretary of State is facilitating or hindering the Clerk and Recorder’s performance of sworn duties?

Our Secretary of State serves as the chief executive of an office that oversees and administers many laws. This includes Colorado’s business and commercial statues for profit and nonprofit corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, trade names, secured transactions under the Uniform Commercial Code and miscellaneous liens. Colorado Election Code, Voter Registration Law, Campaign Finance Laws, Lobbyist Regulation, Colorado Charitable Solicitations Act, Bingo and Raffles Laws, and Notaries Public Laws.

Sadly, our current Secretary of State has turned this office into a partisan office. This office is no different that our Clerk’s, it is a statute driven office, not a policy driven office.

In short, she has not worked with many of the Clerk’s, or their Association, and has generally been a hindrance.

Satellite Offices

Given the population growth in Colorado Springs, what is your position on the number and operation of satellite offices that the Clerk and Recorder currently has in place?

I am for smaller, efficient, and effective government and will continue to push for processes that make things easier for our citizens such as online services. However, I also recognize that our citizens want a person to answer the phones and want to visit with an actual person to get their needs addressed.

El Paso County is the fastest growing county in the State.

So yes, if warranted I support satellite offices. For example, I have worked with our Sheriff to set up a new satellite office in Falcon, CO at no additional tax burden to our taxpayers. This satellite office will house the Sheriff, Clerk, and Assessor staff. Experience, Leadership, Knowledge, and Commitment is important in this election.

Department Priorities

What are your priorities for the following departments: a. Recording, b. Motor Vehicles, c. Election

The Recording Department establishes procedures for individuals to file copies of real property documents such as deeds, liens and mortgages. Recording also establishes priority of real property ownership interest between individuals with competing claims.

The Motor Vehicle Department is responsible for the issuance of vehicle titles, maintenance of vehicle records, and the issuance of motor vehicle regulatory licenses.

The Elections Department is responsible for making sure that every lawful resident in El Paso County has the opportunity to register to vote and to exercise their right to vote.

Each are just as important as the others and required the same amount of attention and dedication from the elected official on behalf of the citizens of El Paso County, CO.

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Biblical worldview

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Electing righteous leaders

Bad governance and our loss of freedom is the direct result of the church’s failure to disciple. When the citizenry do not seek to be obedient to God’s Law, they vote in wicked and corrupt candidates, who then trample underfoot the God-given liberties of the people.