La Plata County voters can expect ballots to arrive in their mailboxes as early as Wednesday of this week in advance of the Nov. 7 election, County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Lee says.
Lee’s office has sent out 43,137 ballots to the active registered voters in the county so far, and she will continue to mail ballots to newly registered or reactivated voters until Oct. 30. Residents may register to vote in person at one of three voter service centers.
To be considered an “active voter,” a piece of election mail such as the recent informational mailer or the primary election ballot must not have bounced back from that voter’s address. Election mail cannot be forwarded, meaning that if a voter suspended mail service for a month and the county sent election mail during that period, that voter is likely to be considered “inactive.”
An “inactive voter” is still eligible to vote but must update his or her address on the Colorado secretary of state’s website, stop by the Clerk and Recorder’s Office or visit one of the county’s five voter service centers.
Ballots should not be mailed back after Oct. 30. They also should be dropped off at one of the centers or one of six 24-hour drop boxes across the county.
The voter service centers are located at the Clerk and Recorder’s office, the Pine River Library and the Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall.
There are two statewide ballot questions before all La Plata County Voters: propositions HH and II.
Prop. HH would provide some property tax relief and increase the cap on state tax revenue set by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
Prop. II would allow the state to retain excess nicotine tax revenue.
Questions pertaining to taxes in Bayfield, the Durango Business Improvement District and the Upper Pine Fire Protection district will also appear on the ballots of constituent voters.
Residents of the Bayfield School District 10-JT and Ignacio School District 11-JT also have competitive school board races on the ballot.
Given the absence of high-interest ballot items, Lee said she expects only about 35% voter turnout.
“I would love to see a 45% turnout, but I doubt it with what's on the ballot,” she said.
In last November’s midterm elections, an impressive 73% of active voters cast a ballot in La Plata County.
All ballots must be received – not postmarked – by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 7.
For a full list of ballot drop sites and sample ballots, visit the Clerk and Recorder’s website at tinyurl.com/bdd3hmvu.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
