SANDI AULT—Reporting from the WILD

Sandi Ault

Outdoor action-adventure stories paired with powerful political insights sandiault.substack.com

  1. Election Experience Matters - Amanda Gonzalez Live with Sandi Ault

    Jun 19

    Election Experience Matters - Amanda Gonzalez Live with Sandi Ault

    Many thanks to everyone for a great conversation both in the chat and in the studio with a great defender of democracy, Amanda Gonzalez. Below are the show notes. As always, you can find the books in my WILD Mystery Series HERE And follow my production team at Our Democracy Collective on Substack or on Our Democracy Collective on YouTube Here are some things all you democracy defenders out there can do: • Follow Amanda Gonzalez’s campaign:— https://www.amandaforcolorado.com/ sign up for updates, volunteer, and donate. • Follow on social: @amandaforcolorado on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. • Register to vote/check registration at GoVoteColorado.gov: The June 30 Democratic primary is 11 days away. Make sure you’re registered! Don’t wait! • Subscribe to Our Democracy Collective for the replay and future LIVE episodes, great essays, podcasts, videos, and more: ourdemocracy.substack.com • Our Democracy Collective is on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@OurDemocracyCollective • Follow Our Democracy Collective on all social media: https://linktr.ee/ourdemocracycollective • Follow and subscribe to Sandi Ault—Reporting from the WILD: sandiault.substack.com and on Apple podcasts or Spotify. • Share this episode with someone and spread the word about Sandi Ault’s and ODC’s LIVE interviews with some of Colorado’s best people. Amanda’s campaign webpage Voting for Amanda Gonzalez for Secretary of State? Help your friends find out about her. Save a graphic and share it, use your own words, or copy one of the captions below. Feel free to mix and match! (Hint: Right click or long press to download or save the images.) Articles and Sources: CNN June 10, 2026: Postal Service won’t deliver mail ballots for states that don’t hand over voter lists, under plan for Trump directive “We already told the Trump administration that they couldn’t have our voter data,” said Amanda Gonzalez, who is the clerk of Jefferson County, Colorado, and a Democrat running to be the top election official in the state, which is fighting the administration’s voter roll demand in court. “This is just a poorly disguised ploy to get it another way.” ………………….. Hoodline May 29, 2026: Colorado Secretary of State: Democrat Amanda Gonzalez “Amanda Gonzalez said Colorado needs a “firewall, not a figurehead,” as its next secretary of state. Gonzalez said she’s well-prepared for the role after a career fighting to improve elections.” ………………. Welcome to Get More Smarter May 28, 2026: The Race for Colorado Secretary of State: Amanda Gonzalez, Democrat for SOS “We are seeing amateur hour at the federal level. We need experts in these roles at the state level, because this is the last line of defense we have to protect our democracy.” ……….. Canon City Daily Record April 2, 2026: June’s primary election ballots taking shape “Gonzalez earned 63% of delegates at the Democratic Party assembly. ‘I’m proud of what we’re building,’ Gonzalez wrote on Facebook. ‘People-powered, values-driven, and ready to protect every vote fiercely.’” ……….. Boston Globe April 2, 2026: Local election leaders dismiss Trump’s order to overhaul mail-in voting as confounding, likely to fail “This is the kind of thing that continues to sow confusion among voters and makes them worried their voice won’t be heard and their vote won’t be counted,” she said. “The real work that is happening because of this is that officials are having to spend more time ensuring voters have accurate information about elections.” ………….. Colorado Newsline April 1, 2026: Colorado Democratic leaders push back on Trump executive order on mail-in ballots “When you muddy the rules and spread misinformation, you make it harder for eligible voters to participate,” Amanda Gonzalez, the Jefferson County clerk and recorder, told Newsline. “That’s not about protecting elections. That’s about disenfranchising voters for political gain.” Get full access to Sandi Ault - Reporting from the WILD at sandiault.substack.com/subscribe

    51 min
  2. DEDICATED to the PEOPLE - Sandi Ault Live with Alex Kelloff

    May 21

    DEDICATED to the PEOPLE - Sandi Ault Live with Alex Kelloff

    Thank you to everyone who tuned into this interview with an exciting candidate with real ideas for the future of his district based on his and his family’s experience of living there for generations! Colorado needs good representation across the board, and especially in the U.S. Congress, so it’s always exciting to hear from and talk to those stepping up to serve. Alex Kelloff is in the middle of a “By the People” tour across all the counties in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional district, and he wants to hear from the people who live there, so he’s conducting the interviews, asking the questions, and doing the listening to people from all political persuasions and perspectives. And he’s running a people-powered campaign with no PAC money. Alex seems genuinely DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE, and when you watch this video, you will get to know him and understand why. Enjoy watching this interview and we’ll see you on the next show when I and Our Democracy Collective get together with another exciting guest on Substack LIVE! I’ll be back next with another article in the next couple days, and I want to thank you for your support for my work. You make it possible for me to bring you exciting interviews like these, my unique brand of carefully crafted distinctive essays and professionally produced audio podcasts. As always, you can find the books in my WILD Mystery Series HERE Things You Can Do: •       Follow Alex Kelloff’s campaign: alexkelloff.com — sign up for updates, volunteer, or donate. •       Follow on social: @alexkelloffco on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. •       Register to vote/check registration at GoVoteColorado.gov: The June 30 Democratic primary is 40 days away. If you’re in CD3, make sure you’re registered. •       Talk to your neighbors: Cost of living, public lands, healthcare — these are not partisan issues. Have the conversation. •       Subscribe to Our Democracy Collective for the replay and future LIVE episodes, great essays, podcasts, videos, and more: ourdemocracy.substack.com •       Our Democracy Collective is on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@OurDemocracyCollective •       Follow OurDemocracy Collective on all social media: https://linktr.ee/ourdemocracycollective •       Follow and subscribe to Sandi Ault—Reporting from the WILD: sandiault.substack.com •       Share this episode with someone in Colorado’s 3rd District and with someone who cares about competitive races in rural America. ARTICLES AND SOURCES:•       CORE Act — S.764, 119th Congress — Bipartisan legislation to protect 420,000 acres of CO public land •       Rep. Jeff Hurd — GovTrack — Voting record and sponsored legislation •       Rural Health Care in CO Will Suffer — Bell Policy Center — H.R. 1 impact on CD3 hospitals, Medicaid cuts, premium increases •       BPC Action — FY2027 Appropriations — Cost of living framework •       BPC — Key Challenges for Small Business (2023) — Lending, childcare, talent access •       Kelloff Op-Ed: Protecting Our Public Lands — Yellow Scene (May 12, 2026) — Kelloff’s own public lands argument •       Western CO Tariff Impact — Aspen Times — State report on tariff impacts by sector •       Rural CO Small Business Barriers — Colorado Politics (Dec 2025) — Rural small business barriers •       Tariffs Keep CO Small Businesses Guessing — Colorado Sun (Jan 2026) — Tariff uncertainty •       Kelloff Visits Grand Junction — GJ Sentinel — Campaign trail coverage •       Kelloff Kickstarts Campaign — Gunnison Times — Campaign launch •       Rising Cost of Living in Western CO — Hope for Colorado — Western Slope cost of living data •       Hurd: Productive Public Lands Act — Hurd.house.gov (March 2025) — Hurd’s BLM reissuance legislation •       Hurd & Neguse: Public Lands Sell-Off Statement — Bipartisan moment on public lands •       Gov. Polis Tariff Impact Report — State-level tariff data •       Alex Kelloff for Colorado — About — Official candidate biography •       Alex Kelloff — FEC Committee Overview — Campaign finance filings Get full access to Sandi Ault - Reporting from the WILD at sandiault.substack.com/subscribe

    52 min
  3. JUSTICE! Live with Sandi Ault and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser

    Apr 3

    JUSTICE! Live with Sandi Ault and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser

    Join me for my next live video at 2PM MDT on Friday, 04/17/2026 when my guest will be Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales, and candidate for US Senate, in the app. AG Weiser was on fire today for our conversation! Enjoy the video and share it with your friends. And if you like the work we are doing, please subscribe and support our efforts to bring great, thoughtful, resonant content to you. I am Executive Director of a vibrant and creative production team of artists and authors called Our Democracy Collective. We create content and mentor talented young artists in the fields of media and content development, messaging, and video production. Our citizen journalist, script writers, video editors, media managers, and voiceover artists all work hard every day to produce outstanding content. Our goal is to produce hope and change, to defend democracy, and to resist tyranny. Please check out the inspiring work our team is creating HERE: Our Democracy Collective, follow us, subscribe to our channel, and support our efforts. And look for us on YouTube HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@OurDemocracyCollective If you like this video, the essays, story chapters, and audio podcasts that I produce, I hope you will subscribe to support my work. Below are the show notes from today and some links you can use. PHILforCOLORADO.com WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO: * Register to vote or check registration at GoVoteColorado.gov -- primary is June 30, 2026 * Follow the AG’s office complaint system for reporting federal agent misconduct: coag.gov * Contact local water utilities about conservation plans and drought restrictions * For housing: look into Proposition 123 funding and down payment assistance programs through CHFA (Colorado Housing and Finance Authority) * Subscribe and follow ODC’s coverage on Substack and YouTube for ongoing coverage: ourdemocracycollective.substack.com ARTICLES AND SOURCES: Campaign & Profile: ● Colorado Sun, Jan 2, 2025 -- Weiser launches 2026 governor campaignhttps://coloradosun.com/2025/01/02/phil-weiser-colorado-governor-2026/ ● Axios Denver, Jan 9, 2026 -- Weiser hits 50th lawsuit against Trumphttps://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/01/09/colorado-phil-weiser-lawsuit-trump-50 ● Rocky Mountain Collegian, Feb 27, 2026 -- Fort Collins town hallhttps://collegian.com/articles/news/2026/02/category-news-im-not-going-to-be-bullied-colorado-attorney-general-phil-weiser-outlines-gubernatorial-bid-at-fort-collins-town-hall/ Water / Drought: ● Colorado Sun, Jan 28, 2026 -- “Exceedingly grim” drought forecastshttps://coloradosun.com/2026/01/28/colorado-water-officials-grim-drought-forecasts-reservoir/ ● Colorado Sun, Mar 25, 2026 -- Denver Water restrictions announcedhttps://coloradosun.com/2026/03/25/denver-water-restrictions-drought-front-range/ ● Denver Gazette, Mar 30, 2026 -- 91% of Colorado abnormally dry or worsehttps://www.denvergazette.com/outtherecolorado/2026/03/30/24-of-colorado-at-drought-stage-linked-to-insect-infestations-large-fires-fish-kills-and-less-recreation/ ● Western Water, Mar 20, 2026 -- Colorado River flows drop to crisis levels https://www.western-water.com/2026/03/20/colorado-river-flows-drop-to-crisis-levels/ ● CPR, Dec 30, 2025 -- Trump vetoes Arkansas Valley Conduit billhttps://www.cpr.org/2025/12/30/trump-vetoes-arkansas-river-valley-conduit-funding-bill/ ● CPR, Jan 8, 2026 -- House override fails https://www.cpr.org/2026/01/08/house-trump-arkansas-valley-conduit-veto-override-fails/ ● Rocky Mountain PBS, Feb 25, 2026 -- Many Coloradans still without clean waterhttps://www.rmpbs.org/news/government/trump-veto-arkansas-valley-conduit-water RULE OF LAW and ICE / Federal Overreach: ● CPR, Feb 12, 2026 -- Colorado’s federal misconduct reporting systemhttps://www.cpr.org/2026/02/12/colorado-report-ice-immigration-misconduct-phil-weiser/ ● PBS NewsHour, Jul 31, 2025 -- Weiser explains Mesa County deputy lawsuithttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/colorado-ag-explains-why-the-state-is-suing-a-deputy-who-aided-ice ● Colorado AG, Jan 8, 2026 -- Weiser fights Trump’s “revenge campaign” https://coag.gov/press-releases/weiser-fights-back-against-trumps-revenge-campaign-on-colorado/ ● Colorado AG, May 13, 2025 -- Lawsuits over immigration conditions on fundinghttps://coag.gov/press-releases/attorney-general-phil-weiser-colorado-lawsuits-trump-illegal-immigration-conditions-emergency-infrastructure-5-13-25/ ● Tina Peters to be re-sentenced: https://www.cpr.org/2026/04/02/tina-peters-appeal/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=alert&utm_campaign=alert20260402 Housing / Affordability: ● Phil for Colorado -- Housing plan https://philforcolorado.com/affordable-homes-and-communities-meeting-colorados-housing-challenge/ ● Colorado Newsline, Feb 22, 2026 -- Weiser vs. Bennet housing forumhttps://coloradonewsline.com/2026/02/22/colorado-governor-candidates-affordable-housing/ ● Bell Policy Center, Feb 26, 2026 -- Housing affordability under shifting federal policyhttps://bellpolicy.org/housing-affordability-in-colorado-under-shifting-federal-policy/ Get full access to Sandi Ault - Reporting from the WILD at sandiault.substack.com/subscribe

    40 min
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Outdoor action-adventure stories paired with powerful political insights sandiault.substack.com