La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Parker is urging residents to use the mail service and drop boxes during the June 30 primaries, the first state primaries to be held during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If you absolutely have to come and see us, we’re asking that you come wearing a mask,” Parker said in the city of Durango’s ninth video update, intended to keep the community informed about the coronavirus response, that was released Thursday.
Colorado started the mail ballot in 1993 to conduct off-year elections. By 2013, most elections used mail ballots. That means Colorado is one of five states in a good position to handle COVID-19 elections because of its well-developed mail ballot system, Parker said.
La Plata County residents will vote on two county commissioner races and the district attorney. They will also choose their candidates for state House, U.S. House, U.S. Senate and the state board of education.
Voters must register as Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or unaffiliated by June 1.
The city update video included a few other useful pieces of advice and updates from the city of Durango, San Juan Basin Public Health and La Plata Electric Association.
More than 600 businesses in La Plata County have self-certified, a requirement under the public health order, Safer La Plata, to show they will implement public health safety protocols in the workplace.
“The entire point of self-certification is to change our habits,” said Liane Jollon, SJBPH executive director. “We’re reimagining how we work, and we’re doing really well as a community.”
LPEA postponed its rate increase, originally scheduled for April 1, until July 1. Customers who cannot pay their electricity bills will not have their service discontinued, a policy that will continue for the foreseeable future.
The city of Durango continued to update its services. For example, Lake Nighthorse will open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Paddleboards, kayaks and canoes are allowed, but trailers are not permitted. On May 22, Lake Nighthorse will open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for additional uses.
smullane@durangoherald.com
