Joanne Conte

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Joanne Conte served as a councilwoman in Arvada, Colorado from 1991 to 1995. She earned her master's degree in political science from the University of Colorado. Conte was born male and underwent sex reassignment surgery in 1973. She is noteworthy for being part of a small group of transexual elected public officials.^[1] She was a guest on many national talk shows^[2] and remains active as a volunteer for KGNU where she co-hosts a news and opinion call in show the last three Thursdays of each month.^[3]

In 1994, while serving as councilwoman, Conte filed a workers' compensation claim which alleged that leaning on her desk during council meetings caused a staph infection on her right elbow.^[4]

Conte ran for Colorado State Legislature in 1994, but through a dramatic turn of events was almost denied ballot access.^[5] Conte planned to run as an Independent and officially declared herself as such on August 2, 1993, the deadline to turn in her petition to be a candidate was August 2, 1994. Colorado law states that to run as an Independent you must be declared an Independent for a full year. Conte had asked the Secretary of State, then Natalie Meyer, if she could turn the petition in early to give her time to correct any mistakes that may be found, to which the Meyer agreed, and Conte submitted the petition before the deadline. Later, Conte filled a lawsuit against Colorado law which stated the ballot order in which Democrats and Republicans appear should be random while stipulating other candidates always had to appear below the Democrat and Republican choices. After Conte filled the lawsuit the Meyer reversed her decision to allow Conte ballot access on the grounds that she had not been an Independent for a full year when she turned in her petition. Conte appealed Meyer's decision to the Colorado Supreme Court in the case the Conte v. Meyer.^[6] The Court reversed Meyer's decision by a vote of 5-2 with the majority opinion intepreting the law, somewhat confusingly, as a petition being on file from the time it is turned in until the date it is due.^[7]

In 1996 Conte ran a petition drive to limit campaign contributions and cap spending in Arvada mayoral and council races.^[8]

In 2004 Conte called for a public investigation in to accustations that Arvada Mayor Ken Fellman may have unlawfully removed his opponent's campaign signs.^[9]

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