Bennett Rutledge
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Bennett Rutledge (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the Colorado State Senate to represent District 16. He lost as a write-in in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Bennett Rutledge was born in Virginia. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona in 1973. His career experience includes working as a public servant, in information technologies, and in risk and compliance systems. Rutledge has been affiliated with the Libertarian Party of Colorado.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Colorado State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Colorado State Senate District 16
Incumbent Chris Kolker defeated Robyn Carnes and Bennett Rutledge in the general election for Colorado State Senate District 16 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Chris Kolker (D)  | 52.2 | 52,216 |
 | Robyn Carnes (R) | 47.8 | 47,907 | |
 | Bennett Rutledge (L) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | |
| Total votes: 100,123 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Colorado State Senate District 16
Incumbent Chris Kolker advanced from the Democratic primary for Colorado State Senate District 16 on June 25, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Kolker | 100.0 | 14,644 |
| Total votes: 14,644 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Colorado State Senate District 16
Robyn Carnes advanced from the Republican primary for Colorado State Senate District 16 on June 25, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robyn Carnes | 100.0 | 10,945 |
| Total votes: 10,945 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
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Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Rutledge in this election.
2022
See also: Colorado Secretary of State election, 2022
General election
General election for Colorado Secretary of State
The following candidates ran in the general election for Colorado Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jena Griswold (D) | 55.1 | 1,369,040 |
 | Pam Anderson (R) | 42.1 | 1,045,482 | |
| Bennett Rutledge (L) | 1.5 | 36,485 | |
 | Amanda Campbell (American Constitution Party) | 0.7 | 17,602 | |
 | Gary Swing (Unity Party) | 0.5 | 11,458 | |
 | Jan Kok (Approval Voting Party) | 0.2 | 4,591 | |
| Total votes: 2,484,658 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jeff Orrok (Approval Voting Party)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State
Incumbent Jena Griswold advanced from the Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jena Griswold | 100.0 | 510,462 |
| Total votes: 510,462 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State
Pam Anderson defeated Tina Peters and Mike O'Donnell in the Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Pam Anderson | 43.1 | 268,638 |
 | Tina Peters | 28.9 | 180,059 | |
 | Mike O'Donnell | 28.1 | 175,158 | |
| Total votes: 623,855 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- David Winney (R)
Approval Voting Party convention
Approval Voting Party convention for Colorado Secretary of State
Jeff Orrok advanced from the Approval Voting Party convention for Colorado Secretary of State on March 26, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Orrok (Approval Voting Party) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for Colorado Secretary of State
Jena Griswold defeated incumbent Wayne W. Williams, Amanda Campbell, and Blake Huber in the general election for Colorado Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jena Griswold (D) | 52.7 | 1,313,716 |
 | Wayne W. Williams (R) | 44.7 | 1,113,927 | |
| Amanda Campbell (American Constitution Party) | 2.1 | 51,734 | |
 | Blake Huber (Approval Voting Party) | 0.5 | 13,258 | |
| Total votes: 2,492,635 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Bennett Rutledge (L)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State
Jena Griswold advanced from the Democratic primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jena Griswold | 100.0 | 510,903 |
| Total votes: 510,903 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State
Incumbent Wayne W. Williams advanced from the Republican primary for Colorado Secretary of State on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Wayne W. Williams | 100.0 | 414,926 |
| Total votes: 414,926 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Bennett Rutledge did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Bennett Rutledge completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rutledge's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I have been a resident of Colorado since the previous century. I see that Colorado has lost its way, lured by the current fashions in governance style. One of the first things I noticed was "elections" with "races" where there was one candidate, and you either voted for that candidate or you got no say in that "contest" at all! I think that my experience in Systems Analysis will bring a different and useful viewpoint to the Secretary of State's office, looking at such contradictions with a fresh eyeball. I also have some experience in a variety of volunteer roles, including as a treasurer laboring under the incumbent's rules and their unspoken assumptions.
I am running a "Lean Campaign" with few promises. These are:
- I hereby certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals.
- I reaffirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of Colorado against all enemies, and to uphold the laws thereof.
- That there will not be, on my watch as Colorado Secretary of State, any "elections" where the outcome is foreordained before the ballot reaches any voter.
Holding government at all levels to a plain English understanding of their commitments to the Bill of Rights within the Colorado Constitution, with particular attention to such sections as
1. Vestment of political power. All Political power is vested in and derived from the people; all government, of right, originates from the people, is founded on their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole.
4. Religious Freedom. ... no person shall be denied any civil or political right, privilege, or capacity, on account of his opinions concerning religion, ... Nor shall any preference be given by law to any religious denomination or mode of worship.
5. Freedom of Elections. All elections shall be free and open; and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage.
6. Equality of justice. Courts of Justice shall be open to every person, and a speedy remedy afforded for every injury to person, property or character; and right and justice should be administered without sale, denial, or delay.
25. Due process of law. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law.
26. Slavery prohibited. There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude.
28. Rights reserved not disparaged. The enumeration in this constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny, impair, or disparage others retained by the people.
The Secretary of State for Colorado is among other aspects.
Chief Election Official
Custodian of laws and regulations
Liaison to other state governments
Administrator of Businesses and Business Licensing
de facto Chief Information Officer
Politically? Barry Goldwater. That was back when being a Republican actually meant something.
The "Declaration of Independence" and the "Constitution of the United States"
To consciously work solely for the good of the whole.
I understand how to work in the face of uncertainty.
I am aware that I don't know what I don't know, and I must seek help from others to see into my blind spot.
I know nothing with such certainty that I am willing for people to die over it.
My first task is to reclaim suffrage ... defined as the "right of a man to vote for whom he pleases."
Integrity and Trust
The Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953. I was scarcely two, but I remember my Daddy coming home to Little Creek.
When my Dad hired me to hand-deliver bill payments by bicycle, around my hometown. The Post Office had raised the price of stamps and I would do it for the old rate. It lasted until the first snowfall.
Robert A. Heinlein "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"
It's all people taking action about their own freedom.
I don't want to be fictional. I want to be an actual person taking actions toward a Future of Freedom.
Billy Joel's "Pressure"
Being intimately acquainted with, and responsible for accurately reporting, what's so.
That Notaries Public are a valuable asset when certifying something is so.
That should be a portion of their experience, especially the aspect of serving the public, helping them to have Colorado work for them, rather than simply enFORCE laws and impose punishments. Other aspects, especially a lawyer's career experience of using government power to have one client win, and all others lose, can actually be counterproductive.
Experience in Information Technology.and Data Security.
[For the Math geeks] "I'm not a REAL MAN ... I have a nonzero imaginary component."
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2018
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
I will work for election reform, to be compliant with the Colorado Constitution, Title II, Section 5, by making write-ins available in all contests...never again a candidate with no alternative for the voter.[2] |
” |
| —Bennett Rutledge[3] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Footnotes
