Colorado Springs Republican state lawmaker expresses concern that controversial El Paso County Republican Party leader sent school board candidates a questionnaire focusing on elections and voter fraud while ignoring some key education issues.

One-third of the questions in an email sent by the county’s GOP to school board candidates are devoted to questions popular among electoral conspiracy theorists who maintain the 2020 election was rigged, although no credible evidence emerged to support the claim.

The six-part quiz, distributed over the weekend by Vickie Tonkins, Republican President of El Paso County, asks questions on several hot topics, including whether candidates object to teaching critical theory of race and support the elimination of the mask and vaccine warrants.

He also asks if candidates will vote to fire superintendents from school districts that have imposed mask or vaccine warrants, which has sparked controversy and protests in some local districts in recent weeks.

“The El Paso County Republican Party wants to highlight some great candidates who are GOP affiliated and aligned with our issues,” Tonkins said in the email. “Even though these races are categorized as non-partisan, the county party is ready to step in and help where appropriate.”

A pair of questions about the 2020 election results and the voting and tabulation equipment used by El Paso County to run the election have at least one Republican official crying out loud on the questionnaire.

After warning school board candidates that they must answer all questions for their quiz to be considered, Tonkins asks if they “support the elimination of the use of Dominion voting systems” and they “support the implementation of a full forensic audit of the 2020 Colorado election.” “

Dominion, based in Denver, manufactures the equipment and software used to run elections in 62 of Colorado’s 64 counties. He was the target of unfounded claims from supporters of former President Donald Trump that the company’s equipment was used to steal the election. Dominion and a company executive are seeking billions of dollars in damages from the Trump campaign, members of Trump’s legal team and several right-wing media outlets in defamation suits.

“Again, without even speaking or consulting with the GOP executive committee, our Lone Wolf chairperson has established herself as the sole arbiter of all candidates running for school boards across the county,” said Sen. from State Larry Liston, R- Colorado Springs, in a text message to Colorado Politics.

“Although (critical race theory) and mask mandates are important issues, school board candidates have little or nothing to do with electoral matters or voting systems,” he said. he declares.

“Before acting unilaterally, Tonkins should have consulted the county (executive committee) before acting alone. She is accountable to the (executive committee), she is not a dictator.”

Liston, who has clashed several times with Tonkins over the past 18 months, added that she had omitted a number of questions about education issues that many Republicans consider important, including the choice of l school, charter schools and the power of the teachers’ union over teachers.

In an email to Colorado Politics, Tonkins said, “The questionnaire was about issues important to voters. “

The Colorado Republican Party has unveiled a list of 10 priorities ahead of the 2021 and 2022 elections, ranking “Expand Educational Choices” third.

A state GOP spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.