The La Plata County Republican Central Committee has a new board chairwoman along with other elected officers.

Shelli Shaw was voted in as chair on Feb. 7 as part of the committee’s “reorganization” results. The committee meets in the first half of February on odd-number years to nominate and vote for committee candidates. Shaw replaces previous board chairman David Peters.

Other officers elected were: 1st vice chair Kelly Hegarty, 2nd vice chair Vanessa Ruggles, secretary Hope Scheppelman, treasurer Holly Hott, member at-large David Peters and member at-large Lisa Zimmerman. The new board will serve a two-year term.

Officers are elected by majority vote by the voting members of the central committee who are present, or by proxy. Shelli Shaw and David Peters were both nominated for the chair position.

Shaw ran against Democratic incumbent Barbara McLachlan in November for the House District 59 seat. She lost by 14 percentage points.

The chair is responsible for all funds, books, papers, records and proceedings of the committee as well as the La Plata County Republican assembly.

The primary purpose of the committee is to identify and elect Republican candidates to office, to perform the functions set forth in the election laws of the state of Colorado, and to uphold the Republican Party principles as reflected in local, state and national platforms.

“I am honored to serve alongside the patriots of La Plata County,” Shaw said in an email to The Durango Herald. “Our focus for the next two years is on service to our community, support to our candidates and volunteers, and successful relationships with voters.”

The central committee meets the first Tuesday of every month at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4031 at 5:30 p.m. It is an open meeting and registered Republicans in La Plata County are encouraged to attend.

gjaros@durangoherald.com