Annette Springs recalls an incident that she says contributed to her decision to run for Arapahoe County assessor. It happened while she was perusing records on the county website one day.

“I’m an appraiser so I go in every now and then and check our records to make sure it’s accurate,” the Democratic candidate said of the assessor’s online data.

The assessor’s office is responsible for classifying and valuing every piece of real estate in the county. Its valuations effectively determine how much property tax an owner will pay to the county and to nearly 350 cities and taxing jurisdictions that operate therein.

From the assessor’s site, Springs says she linked to her county property tax record, which is maintained by the elected county treasurer, and was surprised to find what she says was an inaccurate notation that she and her husband had filed for personal bankruptcy.

“I’m a fanatic about our credit and making sure that everything is paid ahead of time,” she said. “Obviously, there is some sort of glitch in the process that allowed for erroneous information to be placed in our record.”

County Treasurer Doug Milliken, a Democrat, had not returned a request for comment on the matter at press time.

Whatever the reason for the alleged mishap, Springs says she would do everything in her power to ensure the accuracy of county information, if elected. The assessor’s office keeps no record of bankruptcies, however, according to incumbent Assessor Corbin Sakdol, Springs’s Republican opponent.

“I also plan to do some work around giving people more access to the assessor’s office and providing them information,” Springs said of her plans, if she is elected to office on Nov. 2.

That is not to say Springs is particularly critical of Sakdol’s work. She praises the Republican’s decision to place photos of properties on the valuation notices sent to property owners in the county every two years.

Like Sakdol, Springs thinks technical qualifications, not party affiliation, are what voters should consider when they vote for their next assessor this fall.

“Partisanship really has nothing to do with whether or not you’re qualified to do the job,” she said. “I know that I’m qualified to do the job based on my experience, knowledge and interests. I’m sure [Sakdol] feels the same way. I’m not going to engage in a negative campaign.”

As for her own experience, Springs, 61, cites her history in real estate and an executive management background at the former US West. For the last 10 years, she has been a mortgage broker and a certified real estate appraiser.

“As a manager, we were constantly looking at areas to evaluate our processes,” Springs said of work at US West. “If there were glitches, we weren’t always waiting for a complaint to come in.”

Springs’s Democratic challenge comes during an evolving political climate in Arapahoe County. Once a Republican stronghold, the county now boasts more Democrats than independents or Republicans.

In 2006, Sakdol, then a 16-year veteran of the assessor’s office, narrowly defeated a Democratic challenger who had never campaigned, established a website or even returned phone calls from reporters.

But now, four years later, President Obama’s declining political fortunes coupled with the normal cycles of midterm elections have created new challenges for Democratic candidates at all levels.

“Some people are going to go to the polls and vote their straight ticket like they always do,” Springs said. “But I think some people are going to take a look at the candidates because property taxes are pretty important to people if they have a business or own a home.”

Elected office was not always an aspiration for the first-time candidate. The Colorado native — the third of eight children — grew up in the housing projects of west Denver.

“Real estate was the farthest thing from my mind,” she said of her years in government housing. “All I knew is I did not want to live that life. To my mother’s credit, all eight of us were fairly successful in life.”

In 1978, Springs, her husband and three sons moved to Aurora. Today, she has 12 grandchildren.

Shortly after taking an early retirement from the telecommunications industry, Springs pursued a second career in real estate.

“I knew I was not going to be sitting around on my thumbs. I’m probably a workaholic, according to friends and family,” she said. “My interest was a line of work where I could start my own business.”

Springs says she would be as good, if not better, assessor than Sakdol.

“I’m not disappointed in his job,” she said. “Like I’ve said all along, I think there’s always room for improvement.”