About 44,000 ballots for the Colorado primary elections are scheduled to be mailed to La Plata County residents today, ahead of the general election this fall.
La Plata County ballots will include races for one U.S. Senate seat, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, Colorado House District 59 and Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.
The primary election will determine which Republican and Democratic candidates advance to the November general election.
Both Republican and Democratic tickets have several contested races for positions at the state and national level.
Democratic gubernatorial candidates U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser have upped the ante, sparring across all public forums, online and onstage in the lead-up to the election. Both campaigns have run a steady stream of attack ads on cable television.
The Republican primary in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District has taken on a similar tone. Ron Hanks has repeatedly criticized incumbent Jeff Hurd as a “RINO,” or Republican in name only.
Local elections have far fewer candidates. A seat on the La Plata Board of County Commissioners is up for election, but incumbent Elizabeth Philbrick is running unopposed, and no Republican has put their hat in the ring.
Both parties have a single candidate for Colorado House District 59, setting up the general election to be between Democratic incumbent Katie Stewart and Republican Naomi Riess.
La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Lee said voter turnout in primaries can be difficult to predict, and it fluctuates from year-to-year depending on which offices are on the ballot. This year, she expects higher-than-average turnout, since there are several high-profile races.
The primary election day is June 30. Lee recommends voters mail completed ballots by June 22 at the latest. Voters may also return ballots at one of the drop-off locations scattered across the county.
Unaffiliated voters will receive both Democratic and Republican ballots in the mail but may return only one. Sending in two competed ballots will disqualify both ballots.
Voters who do not receive a ballot within a week of mailing should call the County Clerk’s office at 382-6296.
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