By Randi Pierce | Staff Writer
Archuleta County’s active registered Democratic, Republican and unaffiliated voters will soon be receiving ballots for the June 28 primary election to help determine who will appear in November’s regular election.
Beginning June 6, the Archuleta County clerk and recorder will send a mail-ballot packet to every active voter who is registered in Archuleta County.
To be counted, ballots must be returned no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, June 28. Postmarks do not count.
The following information is from the Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.
Voter Service
and Polling Center
information
Beginning June 20, the Archuleta County Election’s Office, located at 449 San Juan St. (in the back of the courthouse) will serve as the Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC).
The hours for the VSPC will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday from June 20 through June 27.
On June 25, it will be open from 8 a.m. to noon.
On June 28, it will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
How to return ballots
Voted ballots may be returned to the VSPC or taken to one of the county’s ballot drop boxes.
Those drop boxes are located at the courthouse at 449 San Juan St. (outside on the sidewalk near the flagpoles) and at the TARA Community Center at 333 Milton Lane in Arboles.
According to the county’s election notice, the drop boxes will have 24/7 video surveillance from June 20 through 7 p.m. on June 28.
What if I didn’t receive
a ballot or need a
replacement?
Eligible residents can register to vote up to and including Election Day either online or at the Archuleta County Election’s Office/VSPC.
June 20 is the last day for an individual to submit a voter registration application and still receive a ballot in the mail for the June 28 primary, according to the state.
Replacement ballots are available at the VSPC.
More information on eligibility and registering to vote can be found at http://www.archuletacounty.org/192/Elections or www.GoVoteColorado.gov.
Those with questions should call the Archuleta County Election’s Office at (970) 264-8331.
What’s on the ballot?
Registered Republicans and Democrats will each receive a primary ballot specific to their party.
If a voter has not declared a party preference, they will receive two ballots in their mail-ballot packet. They must only return one ballot in order for their vote to count.
Republican ballot
The Republican ballot will include three choices for U.S. senator: Ron Hanks, Joe O’Dea and a write-in option.
Daniel Hendricks filed the required paperwork with the Colorado secretary of state to be a write-in candidate.
According to the Archuleta County election notice, “A write-in vote should be counted if the write-in line on the ballot includes at least a reasonably correct interpretation of the candidate’s last name and the voter fills in the target area next to the write-in line. For more information, please review sections 1-4-1103, 1-5-407(3), 1-7-114, and 1-7-304, C.R.S., SOS Rule 18, and the Voter Intent Guide.”
The ballot will include two candidates for U.S. representative for District 3: Lauren Boebert and Don Coram.
Two names will appear on the ballot for Colorado governor: Greg Lopez and Heidi Ganahl.
Republican voters will have three candidates on the primary ballot for secretary of state: Tina Peters, Mike O’Donnell and Pam Anderson.
Several state-level offices will include only one Republican candidate: Lang Sias for state treasurer, John Kellner for attorney general, Dan Maloit for at-large regent of the University of Colorado and Shelli Shaw for state representative for District 59.
Two candidates will appear for Archuleta County commissioner for District 3: Alvin Schaaf and Veronica Medina.
Two candidates will appear for Archuleta County sheriff: Mike Le Roux and Boyd Neagle.
One candidate will appear for several Archuleta County offices: Kristy Archuleta for clerk and recorder, Elsa P. White for treasurer, Johanna Tully-Elliot for assessor and Brandon L. Bishop for coroner.
There are no Republican candidates for county surveyor.
Democratic ballot
The Democratic ballot will include one candidate for U.S. senator: Michael Bennet.
The ballot will include three candidates for U.S. representative for District 3: Soledad Sandoval Tafoya, Alex Walker and Adam Frisch.
Several state-level offices will include only one Democratic candidate: Jared Polis for Colorado governor, Jena Griswold for Colorado secretary of state, Dave Young for state treasurer, Phil Weiser for state attorney general, Kathy Plomer for at-large regent of the University of Colorado and Barbara McLachlan for state representative for District 59.
There are no Democratic for county-level offices.
How to track your ballot
Colorado voters in all 64 counties will be able to track their primary election ballot using BallotTrax, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.
BallotTrax is a program that was implemented statewide in 2020 that allows voters to track their ballot, including when it is sent, received and counted.
According to a press release from the office, “BallotTrax enables voters to receive notifications by phone, email, or text about the status of their mail ballot, from the time it is mailed to the voter, to when it is received, and counted. In 2020, over 1.6 million voters used BallotTrax to follow their ballots. This year, nearly 2 million active voters are enrolled in the program.”
According to the press release, messages about the status of voter ballots will begin after ballots are mailed out by counties.
Colorado voters can enroll themselves in BallotTrax by going to www.GoVoteColorado.gov and clicking on “Sign up for BallotTrax.”
randi@pagosasun.com
