Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has taken a brief leave this month following the birth of her first child, as confirmed by her office on Friday. The statement mentioned that preparations were made for her absence during the busy election season.
Griswold, a Democrat serving as the state’s top election official, shared that she welcomed a “healthy baby boy” with her husband Mario Cañedo in late August. She is expected to return from leave in early October, just before the mailing of ballots begins on October 11, according to her office.
Speaking about her new role as a working parent, Griswold expressed her excitement for the upcoming 2024 general election in November. She assured that she is in constant communication with her leadership team and is looking forward to a successful election season.
Her office also released a statement highlighting the extensive preparations made by Griswold and her staff leading up to the baby’s arrival. They emphasized that despite her absence, Colorado will maintain safe and secure elections this November.
This isn’t the first time a prominent official in the state has had a child while in office. U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, who was a state senator at the time, gave birth to her son in early 2020 during the legislative session.
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