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Gwen Lachelt recall, La Plata County Commission, Colorado (2018)
| La Plata County Commission recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2018 Recalls in Colorado Colorado recall laws County commission recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Gwen Lachelt (D) from her position on the La Plata County Board of Commissioners in Colorado was launched in January 2018 by Michael Cugnini, Ty Hawkins, and David Peters. The recall effort failed after falling 36 signatures short of the 7,505-signature requirement.[1]
The recall petition stated that Lachelt inappropriately used her county position to lobby for environmental policies that were supported by her employer, Western Leaders Network. It also alleged that Lachelt had a lower attendance record in 2017 than the other commissioners. Lachelt stated she would fight the recall effort and said that the accusations in the petition were false.[2] Lachelt was elected to the commission in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016.
David Peters, who was one of the recall organizers, stated, "For a long time, there’s been concerns about her and having conflicts of interest. You add all of that and this land-use code, people were just flat out mad." Click here for more information about the land-use code debate.[3] Lachelt denied the allegations, saying "my attendance record is 91 percent and there were never ethics violations."[4]
Supporters of the recall campaign had until March 30, 2018, to submit 7,505 valid signatures in order to bring the recall to the ballot. On March 30, 2018, recall supporters submitted 6,400 signatures.[5] On April 17, 2018, County Clerk Tiffany Parker (R) announced that 5,475 of the signatures submitted were valid. Under Colorado state law, supporters of the recall had until May 2, 2018, to submit additional signatures to meet the 7,505-signature goal.[6] On May 2, 2018, the recall's supporters submitted an additional 2,168 signatures. [7] On May 23, 2018, the county clerk announced that supporters of the recall had obtained 7,469 valid signatures, falling 36 short of the 7,505 required.[1]
Recall supporters
Below is the general statement of grounds for recall as stated on the recall petition:
| “ | We need commissioners who represent our interests above their own, and who govern with accountability and transparency.
Commissioner Lachelt has not done that. She has repeatedly leveraged our public office for her private gain by appearing before the U.S. Congress and other federal government entities to advocate and advance her and her employer’s political and policy agendas under the guise of her role as our commissioner. Her county commissioner meeting attendance record further demonstrates where her allegiance lies. Her 2017 attendance record was much lower than any other commissioner. We can and should expect our commissioners to act ethically and not to take actions that undermine the public’s trust in our local government. As a result of Commissioner Lachelt’s actions, the county has been required to investigate ethics complaints filed against her and to seek out ethics advice from at least one other county. For all these reasons, and more, we believe Commissioner Lachelt has acted in ways that have undermined the public’s trust and is therefore deserving of answering to us - her constituents - through the question of a recall so that we can restore trust, accountability, and transparency to that elected office.[8] |
” |
| —Recall petition | ||
Opponents
Lachelt's response
Lachelt issued a statement about the recall, saying that the accusations against her were false. Below is an excerpt from Lachelt's statement:
| “ | The recall petition falsely states that I have a poor attendance record, that I’ve violated ethics rules and that my interests lie outside of La Plata County. In fact, my attendance record is 91 percent and there were never ethics violations. All three commissioners regularly represent the county in Denver and Washington, DC. Meeting with state and federal-level leaders to advocate for La Plata County interests is part of the job.[8] | ” |
| —Gwen Lachelt[4] | ||
Lachelt said in the statement that the recall had "the support of Americans For Prosperity, a Koch Brothers-funded group that recently started a local chapter here in La Plata County."[4] Americans for Prosperity is a political advocacy group that describes itself as "an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state and federal levels."[9] Tamra Farah, the deputy state director of Americans for Prosperity Colorado, said the group was not involved in the recall effort. "We’re not engaged in that at all," she said.[10]
The Durango Herald editorial
The Durango Herald published an editorial on February 10, 2018, titled, "Recall effort: Blaming unpopularity of land use code on Gwen Lachelt alone is misguided."[11] Below is an excerpt from the editorial.
| “ |
We suggest that the recall petition carriers, rather than gathering signatures, instead apply that time and energy toward working with the commissioners and the planning staff to build the best possible county land-use code. That would be more productive than triggering a special election – costing thousands of dollars – against a single individual who has contributed to making La Plata County a more appealing place to live. Gwen Lachelt is not solely responsible for the unpopular aspects of the much-needed land-use code. To portray her as such is misguided.[8] |
” |
| —The Durango Herald[11] | ||
Background
The county planning commission released a first draft of the updated version of the county's land-use code in 2017, with some county residents strongly opposed to it. The La Plata Liberty Coalition called it an attack on property rights and said the code could "utterly financially destroy many famers and ranchers."[12] In February 2018, the county said it would push back the timeline in order to address residents' concerns. Commissioner Julie Westendorff said updating the code was a practical necessity. "Growth ... hasn’t let up in the last 25, 30 years, and there’s no reason to think it will," she said.[13]
Campaign finance
Two committees opposed to the recall effort filed campaign finance reports in relation to the recall in February 2018. One committee in favor of the recall did not file a campaign finance report because it is categorized as a small scale issue committee, which are not required to file a report unless it receives over $5,000 in donations. The committees opposed to the recall, which are categorized as issue committees, reported the following:
- The committee called La Plata County for Gwen Lachelt reported $2,405 in contributions and $0 expenditures from January 1 to February 10, 2018. A $1,235 donation was from the La Plata County Democratic Party Central Committee and the remaining contributions were from six individuals.[14]
- The committee called United Against the Recall reported $10,000 in contributions and $3,522 in expenditures from February 6 to February 16, 2018. The $10,000 contribution was from Conservation Colorado.[15] According to its website, Conservation Colorado's mission "is to protect Colorado’s environment and quality of life by mobilizing people and electing conservation-minded policymakers."[16] Conservation Colorado donated an additional $20,110 to United Against the Recall in March 2018.[17]
Recall supporters issued a press release on February 22, 2018, which said, "Lachelt has big money special interest groups fighting to oppose the recall," and stated that Conservation Colorado received funding from Democratic Party activist and NextGen Climate founder Tom Steyer.[18] Lachelt told the Durango Herald, "I’m not quite sure why a California billionaire would be interested in my recall campaign, but stranger things have happened."[19]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Colorado
Recall proponents needed to collect 7,505 valid signatures by March 30, 2018, in order to trigger a recall election.[2] In Colorado, the number of signatures needed to force a recall election is equal to 25 percent of the votes cast in the last election for the official being recalled.
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Colorado heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- The state had a split delegation (one Democrat, one Republican) in the U.S. Senate. Colorado did not hold elections for either U.S. Senate seat in 2018.
- Republicans held four of seven U.S. House seats in Colorado, and Democrats held three.
State executives
- As of May 2018, Republicans held three of 10 state executive positions. Democrats held two, and five were nonpartisan.
- The governor of Colorado was Democrat John Hickenlooper, who was term-limited and unable to run for re-election in 2018. The state held elections for governor and lieutenant governor on November 6, 2018.
State legislature
- The Colorado state legislature was under divided control. Republicans had an 18-16 majority in the state Senate, with one Independent who caucused with the Democrats. Democrats had a 36-29 majority in the state House.
Trifecta status
- Heading into the 2018 elections, Colorado was under divided government.
2018 elections
- See also: Colorado elections, 2018
Colorado held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- All seven U.S. House seats
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- Attorney general
- Secretary of state
- Treasurer
- Seventeen of 35 seats in the state Senate
- All 65 seats in the state House of Representatives
- Two of seven seats on the state board of education
- Three of nine seats on the state board of regents
- One justice of the Colorado Supreme Court (retention election)
- Five members of the Colorado Court of Appeals (retention election)
- Local judicial offices
- Municipal elections in Adams County, Arapahoe County and El Paso County
Demographics
| Demographic data for Colorado | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,448,819 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 103,642 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 84.2% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 4% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2.9% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 3.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 21.1% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 90.7% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 38.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $60,629 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 13.5% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Colorado. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2017, Colorado had a population of approximately 5.6 million people, and its two largest cities were Denver (pop. est. 719,000) and Colorado Springs (pop. est. 484,000).[20][21]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Colorado from 2000 to 2016.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Colorado every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Colorado 2000-2016[22] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 48.2% | 43.3% | 4.9% | ||
| 2012 | 51.5% | 46.1% | 5.4% | ||
| 2008 | 53.7% | 44.7% | 9.0% | ||
| 2004 | 51.7% | 47.0% | 4.7% | ||
| 2000 | 50.8% | 42.4% | 8.4% | ||
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Colorado from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Colorado 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016[23] | 50.0% | 44.3% | 5.7% | ||
| 2014[24] | 48.2% | 46.3% | 1.9% | ||
| 2010[25] | 48.1% | 46.4% | 1.7% | ||
| 2008[26] | 52.8% | 42.5% | 10.3% | ||
| 2004[27] | 50.4% | 45.7% | 4.7% | ||
| 2002[28] | 50.1% | 45.2% | 4.9% | ||
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Colorado, and take place in even-numbered years between presidential elections.
| Election results (Governor), Colorado 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014[24] | 49.3% | 46.0% | 3.3% | ||
| 2010[25] | 51.1% | 36.4% | 14.7% | ||
| 2006[29] | 56.0% | 39.5% | 16.5% | ||
| 2002[28] | 61.7% | 33.2% | 28.5% | ||
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Colorado in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Colorado 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016[23] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2014[24] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2012[30] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2010[25] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2008[26] | 28.6% | 71.4% | D+3 | ||
| 2006[29] | 42.9% | 57.1% | D+1 | ||
| 2004[27] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2002[28] | 71.4% | 28.6% | R+3 | ||
| 2000[31] | 66.7% | 33.3% | R+2 | ||
Trifectas, 1992-2018
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Colorado Party Control: 1992-2025
Thirteen years of Democratic trifectas • Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Journal, "Recall effort against Gwen Lachelt falls short by 36 signatures," May 24, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pine River Times, "La Plata County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt vows to fight recall effort," February 6, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Independent, "In La Plata County, a heated effort to oust environmentalist commissioner," February 15, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Gwen Lachelt website, "Decline to Sign: Don’t let special interest groups overturn our local elections through a bogus recall," accessed February 16, 2018
- ↑ The Durango Herald, "Supporters of La Plata County commissioner’s recall fall 1,105 signatures shy of their mark," March 30, 2018
- ↑ The Durango Herald, "Supporters of La Plata County commissioner’s recall short more than 2,000 signatures," April 17, 2018
- ↑ The Durango Herald, "Lachelt recall supporters turn in 2,168 more signatures," May 2, 2018
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Americans for Prosperity, "About," accessed December 4, 2013
- ↑ The Durango Herald, "Americans for Prosperity pulls back campaign against La Plata County’s land-use code," February 19, 2018
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 The Durango Herald, "Recall effort: Blaming unpopularity of land use code on Gwen Lachelt alone is misguided," February 10, 2018
- ↑ Twitter, "La Plata Liberty Coalition," January 29, 2018
- ↑ The Durango Herald, "Revisions coming to La Plata County’s draft land-use codes," February 7, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "La Plata County for Gwen Lachelt Report of Contributions and Expenditures," accessed March 9, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "United Against the Recall Report of Contributions and Expenditures," accessed March 9, 2018
- ↑ Conservation Colorado, "About Us," accessed March 9, 2018
- ↑ The Durango Herald, "Conservation Colorado spends thousands to fight La Plata County commissioner’s recall," March 29, 2018
- ↑ Save La Plata County, "Press Release," February 22, 2018
- ↑ The Durango Herald, "Campaign finance reports filed in Gwen Lachelt recall effort," February 22, 2018
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts Colorado," accessed April 2, 2018
- ↑ World Population Review, "Population of Cities in Colorado (2018)," accessed April 2, 2018
- ↑ US Election Atlas, "United States Presidential Election Results," accessed April 2, 2018
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "2016 Abstract of Votes Cast," accessed April 3, 2018
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Colorado Secretary of State, "2014 Abstract of Votes Cast," accessed April 3, 2018
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Colorado Secretary of State, "2010 Abstract of Votes Cast," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2008 Primary & 2008 General," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2003 Coordinated, 2004 Primary, & 2004 General," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2001 Coordinated, 2002 Primary, & 2002 General," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2005 Coordinated, 2006 Primary, & 2006 General," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "2012 Abstract of Votes Cast," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2000 Presidential, 2000 Primary, & 2000 General," accessed April 4, 2018
