Registered voters in Archuleta County will soon have the chance to weigh in on November’s general election as polling centers open and ballots begin arriving in mailboxes.
The Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder’s Office will begin mailing official ballots on Friday, Oct. 11, to all active Democratic, Republican and unaffiliated voters.
For in-person voting, local polling centers are scheduled to open on Monday, Oct. 21.
To ensure your vote is counted, all ballots must be returned no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. Postmarks do not count.
Archuleta County election officials provided the following information.
Voter Service and Polling Center information
Beginning Oct. 21, the Archuleta County Election Office, located at 449 San Juan St. (at the rear of the courthouse) will serve as the official Voter Service and Polling Center, or VSPC.
From Oct. 21 through Nov. 4, the VSPC will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
On Saturday, Nov. 2, the VSPC will be open from 8 a.m. to noon.
On Election Day, Nov. 5, the VSPC will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Two additional polling centers will be open on Election Day only. The Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association Clubhouse, located at 230 Port Ave., and the Archuleta County Extension Office, located at 344 U.S. 84, will both be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 5.
Ballot drop-off
Completed ballots may be dropped off at the elections office or deposited in one of the county’s secure drop boxes.
Drop boxes are stationed at the old courthouse, located at 449 San Juan St., and at the TARA Community Center located at 333 Milton Lane in Arboles. Boxes will remain open around the clock and under 24-hour video surveillance beginning Oct. 15 until 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Voters wishing to drop off their ballots at the county elections office, located at 449 San Juan St., can do so during the following periods:
• 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday from Oct. 14 to Oct. 17.
• 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday from Oct. 21 to Nov. 4.
• 8 a.m. to noon on Nov. 2.
• 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 5.
What’s on the ballot?
In addition to the presidential election, voters this fall will also decide several races for federal, state and local offices.
Candidates for the 119th U.S. Congress, Colorado congressional and judicial districts, Colorado courts, and the Archuleta Board of County Commissioners will all appear on ballots.
In county commissioner races, District 1 incumbent Warren Brown, a Republican, will face off against unaffiliated candidates Ken Bowles and Wayne Hooper. District 2 commissioner John Ranson, a Republican, is running unopposed.
Republican Brad Hunt is unopposed in his bid for Archuleta County coroner, as is 6th Judicial District Attorney Sean Murray, who serves La Plata, Archuleta and San Juan counties.
U.S. congressional candidates running to fill the seat left by Lauren Boebert in District 3 are Democrat Adam Frisch, Republican Jeff Hurd, James Wiley of the Libertarian Party and Unity Party candidate Adam Withrow.
Republican Sherri M. Wright and Democrat Ellen Angeles are both running for a seat representing District 3 on the State Board of Education.
In the Colorado Senate race for District 6, encompassing the southwest corner of the state, Democrat Vivian Smotherman is challenging incumbent Republican Cleave Alan Simpson.
Voters will also be asked to choose between Democrat Katie Stewart and Republican Clark Craig to as state representative for District 59 in the state’s General Assembly.
In the courts, the retention of three Colorado Supreme Court justices, as well as five Colorado Court of Appeals judges, are on the ballot. In the 6th Judicial District, the retention of Judge Kim Soon Shropshire is also on the ballot.
Several state ballot measures are up for vote this November, with implications to the state constitution, tax revenues, mental health services and more.
Proposed amendments to the state constitution will ask voters to weigh in on questions including whether or not to remove language banning same-sex marriages and if the Colorado Constitution should formally recognize a right to abortion.
Amendment G asks about the expansion of eligibility for the property tax exemption for veterans with a disability.
Amendment H asks about amending the Colorado Constitution concerning judicial discipline and establishing an independent judicial discipline adjudicative board.
Amendment I asks about an amendment to the Colorado Constitution creating an exemption to the right to bail “for cases of murder in the first degree when proof is evident or presumption is great.”
If approved, Amendment J would remove language in the Colorado Constitution banning same-sex marriage.
Amendment K would, if approved, amend the Colorado Constitution concerning the modification of certain deadlines in connection with specified elections.
Amendment 79 seeks to change the Colorado Constitution to recognize the right to abortion, and further stipulates that the government “shall not” deny, impede or discriminate against the exercise of that right, including prohibiting health insurance coverage for abortion.
Amendment 80 asks if the Colorado Constitution should be amended to establish the right for school choice for children in kindergarten through 12th grade.
A supermajority, or 55 percent, of votes is needed for a constitutional amendment to pass in Colorado.
Proposition JJ asks if, without raising taxes, the state can keep and spend all sports betting tax revenue above voter-approved limits to fund water conservation and protection projects instead of refunding revenue to casinos.
Proposition KK asks for state taxes to be increased by $39 million annually to help fund mental health services — including for military veterans, at-risk youth and “school safety and gun violence prevention, and support services for victims of domestic violence” — by taxing gun manufacturers and retailers, as well as ammunition vendors.
Proposition 127 seeks to prohibit the hunting of mountain lions, lynx and bobcats.
Proposition 128 proposes new guidelines for parole eligibility for offenders of certain crimes.
Proposition 129 asks if there should be a statutory change creating a new veterinary professional associate profession and, in connection therewith, establish the qualifications.
In Proposition 130, voters are asked if state statute should direct legislators to appropriate $350 million for local peace officer training, support and retention.
Proposition 131 asks if there should be a change to state statute creating new election processes for certain federal and state offices that would allow voters to vote for one candidate per office regardless of party affiliation, with the four candidates for each office advancing to the general election. The general election would use ranked-choice voting.
For additional voter resources and information–including a sample ballot and 2024 judicial performance evaluations, visit https://www.archuletacounty.org/796/2024-General-Election.
Tracking your ballot
Colorado voters can track their general election ballot using BallotTrax, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.
Implemented statewide in 2020, BallotTrax allows voters to track their ballot as it is sent, received and counted.
To learn more or enroll, visit www.GoVoteColorado.gov and select “Sign up for BallotTrax.”
garrett@pagosasun.com
