Candidates running for La Plata Electric Association’s board of directors are turning to phones, radio and social media to remind elegible electors to vote by 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The election has been fierce in each of LPEA’s four geographic districts. Each district is represented by three directors, and the three-year terms are staggered so one seat in each district opens during the annual LPEA elections.
In three races, newcomers are challenging incumbent candidates. In the fourth, two new candidates are vying to fill the seat. Candidates for the 2021 director elections include:
- District 1, Archuleta County: Incumbent Kirsten Skeehan is being challenged by newcomer Veronica Medina.
- District 2, south and west La Plata County: Incumbent Kohler McInnis is being challenged by newcomer Mark Walser.
- District 3, city of Durango: Two new candidates, Ted Compton and Bill Waters, are vying to fill the seat being vacated by retiring director Britt Bassett.
- District 4, north and east La Plata County: Incumbent Tim Wheeler is being challenged by newcomer John Purser.
Some candidates and community members said this election could shape the future of LPEA — particularly regarding Tri-State Generation and Transmission, the power supplier for electric cooperatives and districts across the western United States.
LPEA, like several other rural electric cooperatives, is exploring separation from Tri-State — a controversial contract change that could cost tens of millions of dollars.
Other top election issues included aging infrastructure, diversifying electricity sources, fiber optic broadband internet service, renewable energy options, overall cost to consumers and reliability.
In addition to the director elections, LPEA’s board of directors has proposed, and recommends adoption of two amendments to LPEA’s bylaws by vote of the membership in the 2021 elections.
Both amendments were proposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and aim to modernize LPEA’s bylaws to conform with Colorado law on virtual meetings as may be necessary to conduct business.
District 4 candidates Wheeler and Purser, and McInnis of District 2, planned to spend the last days before the election urging people to get out and vote.
In District 3, Waters’ campaign volunteers aim to call up to 1,000 people and will be waving signs on busy streets in Durango. Other LPEA candidates could not be reached for comment Sunday.
“There’s not a lot of time left,” Wheeler said.
Of those who vote, about 80-85% return their ballots in the first three weeks of the election period, Wheeler said, based on his own analysis.
“The last week is really concentrated on just getting people to vote,” he said.
Wheeler and Purser said they plan to call voting members and use social media to urge voting.
McInnis said he plans to do radio interviews and hand out more yard sign in the final days leading up to the election deadline.
“We’ll be going to the last minute,” he said.
Purser did two radio interviews, trying to make some main points about the election and remind people to return ballots at drop-off locations.
“It’s a very, very important election. It’s setting the direction for LPEA for years to come potentially,” Purser said, referring to the Tri-State debate.
“I just urge everyone to turn in a ballot, regardless of who they’re voting for. Just getting that ballot in is really important,” Wheeler said.
It is too late to mail in ballots, but voters can return their ballots to eight different drop-off boxes:
- La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, 679 Turner Drive in Durango.
- La Plata County Administration Building, 1101 East Second Ave., in Durango.
- Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango.
- Farmers Fresh Market, 535 Goddard Ave., in Ignacio.
- Bayfield Town Hall, 1199 Bayfield Parkway, in Bayfield.
- Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, 449 San Juan St., in Pagosa Springs.
- LPEA Durango office, 45 Stewart St.
- LPEA Pagosa Springs office, 603 South Eighth St.
smullane@durangoherald.com
