Election information
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5th. Ballots are due by 7 p.m. at any one of the following La Plata County locations:
• Durango La Plata County Clerk & Recorder, 679 Turner Dr., Ste C – drive by
• La Plata County Administration Building, 1101 E 2nd Ave.
• La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave. – drive by
• Fort Lewis Community Concert Hall, 1000 Rim Dr.
• Bayfield Bayfield Town Hall, 1199 Bayfield Parkway
• Ignacio Farmers Fresh Market, 535 Goddard Ave.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/LPC-elections for La Plata County general election information. You may sign up to track your ballot at www.LaPlata.BallotTrax.Net.
Election Resources:
The Herald editorial board did not weigh in on all issues or candidates. This year it is an incredibly long, double-sided ballot.
Please visit:
• durangoherald.com/election for news stories on candidates and ballot issues
• durangoherald.com/opinion for editorial board endorsements, guest columns and letters to the editor.
• The Durango Herald’s election guide: https://tinyurl.com/BCI-Election-Guide
• The Colorado Secretary of State’s Blue Book: https://tinyurl.com/CO-Blue-Book
• The Colorado League of Women Voters Quick Reference Guide: https://tinyurl.com/CO-LWV-Voter-Guide
Kamala Harris (D) has been in the second most powerful executive seat in Washington for four years, where inflation, immigration, cultural issues, Ukraine, Russia and China have been weekly, if not daily, challenges. She knows the tasks and the needed steps forward. And since Joe Biden said “no” to a second term, she has led an energetic and engaged campaign traversing the country to connect with voters. She will be a strong and determined leader as president.
Donald Trump (R) has descended in recent weeks, expanding his slurs and threats to more individuals and nationalities and promised retribution to the many he views as his enemies from within. His positions are based on what he judges to be most personally beneficial at the moment, reducing taxes, doubling down on tariffs and sweeping cities of immigrants. He has depicted a nation in chaos, with a future only he can correct. Nonsense, and extremely dangerous.
Vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The alternatives will be extraordinarily destructive. Not just for our country, but the world.
Jeff Hurd (R) is a native Coloradan who as a lawyer has represented rural electric co-ops,water, fire and school districts. That has given him insights into the challenges of critical community service organizations in and near Grand Junction and what they need to be successful, and how a member of Congress can help. Hurd has said he’ll work for compromises and won’t be on the extremes. He wants a southern border that’s under control.
Adam Frisch (D) has put a lot of effort into getting to know the district after coming very close to winning the seat two years ago. He’s thoughtful and articulate. Frisch is also concerned about the border, expressing a need for a “tall wall and a big gate.”
Frisch would represent his constituents well, but the Herald’s editorial board favors Jeff Hurd because of his legal, and local, work on the Western Slope.
No endorsement
No endorsement
No endorsement
Cleave Simpson (R), a fourth generation farmer in the San Luis Valley, has been representing the southwest corner of the state for two years. Simpson has been a water conservancy executive and led successful efforts to implement improved water management. Through his committee assignments, he’s been introduced to social services’ needs, and worked to improve rural health care delivery. He points to numerous legislative successes working across the aisle with the majority party.
Vivian Smotherman (D) of Durango has worked overseas including a career in the energy field, wireless communications and nonprofit advocacy. She says that the diversity of people that come with working overseas has given her the ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds.
It’s Cleave Simpson, however, the Herald’s editorial board believes deserves another four-year term. He’s shown his breadth of skills and leadership as a member of the minority party and will continue to be good for the residents of Southwest Colorado, and beyond.
Clark Craig (R) has been a member of most of the community boards in Ignacio, including serving as the tri-ethnic town’s mayor, and is looking for more mountains to climb. He knows planning because of his time on the county planning board, and has worked for additional affordable housing.
Katie Stewart (D) is a School District 9-R board member, enthusiastic about the importance of good education, expanded health care access, particularly reproductive care, small business and workforce training. She points to the length of time her family has been involved in Durango.
Craig Clark has shown in the breadth of his community involvement that he is better suited to represent the 59th to succeed term-limited Barbara McLachlan.
Sean Murray (D), incumbent, has no opponent. Give him a vote of approval.
Marsha Porter-Norton (D) is unopposed. She has been an excellent commissioner in her first term, thoughtful, forward looking and accessible, so give her a congratulatory vote for her second.
Paul Black (R) would bring small business experience, and time on fire, irrigation and soil conservation district boards, all important to a community, and admirable. Black could very likely handle the commissioner’s job.
But incumbent Matt Salka (D) has had a very productive first term and with fellow commissioners racked up a variety of accomplishments including positive changes to the land use department’s staffing, securing and distributing $11 million in federal economic recovery funds, standing up a new county public health department, and initiating a proposed change to the county lodger’s tax to fund workforce housing and child care.
The Herald’s editorial board likes Black, but Salka has proven himself. Vote Matt Salka for another four years.
Moni Grushkin (U) was appointed to the office of treasurer just shy of two years ago and now wants to complete the position’s term. That’s good news for county residents. Grushkin has a finance, banking and technical project management background, and has been a quick learner. Although Grushkin is unopposed, give her a “yes” vote of support.
No candidates. The county will hire a surveyor, as needed.
No endorsement
No endorsement
Judge Kim Soon Shropshire has been an excellent judge. She should be retained.
Because they amend the state constitution, the state legislature referred the following measures to the voters to approve:
Yes, to give military veterans who do not have a 100% service-connected disability but do have individual unemployability status the same property tax relief that fully disabled veterans receive.
Yes, to establish an independent adjudicative board made up of citizens, lawyers and judges to oversee the judicial disciplinary process and allow more information to be made public earlier.
Yes, judges should be able to deny bail to a person charged with first degree murder when a judge determines the proof is evident and presumption is great. This corrects an unintended consequence of a 2020 decision by the state legislature abolishing the death penalty, without which all defendants, including those charged with first degree murder, are eligible for bail, even those deemed dangerous to society and at risk of committing additional violent crimes.
Yes, the ban on same-sex marriage should be removed from the state constitution. It’s moot. Federal law allows it, and in 2014, U.S. District and 10th Circuit courts in Colorado allowed same sex marriage, while the prohibition remained in the constitution.
Yes to giving county clerks an additional week to process materials related to special elections, and to judges an extra week to file a declaration of intent to seek another term.
ON THE REVERSE - This year’s ballot is long. Please make sure to flip it over to continue voting. Amendments 79 and 80 are proposed amendments to the constitution initiated by citizens. Amendments JJ and KK are statutes proposed by the state legislature. Prop.127-131 are proposed statutes initiated by citizens.
Yes, the right to abortion should be added to the state’s constitution, making abortion a constitutional right, disallowing state and local governments from impeding that right, and repealing the current constitutional ban on public (Medicaid) funding for abortion services. The current statute discriminates against economically disadvantaged women and women who have health insurance through their employment. A woman has a right to make her own reproductive health care decisions privately free of government interference and mandates, and an employer should not be able to prohibit health insurance coverage for abortion.
No, there is no need to add the right to school choice to the state constitution. School choice is well established in Colorado – Colorado was a leader in establishing charter schools – and it does not need that protection.
Yes, the state ought to be able to retain gambling tax proceeds above a voter – approved amount and spend it on water conservation and protection projects rather than return it to the casinos. These funds are not included in what might be returned to taxpayers under TABOR, as critics wrongly claim.
Yes, it’s appropriate to add a 6.5% tax on weapons and ammunition to be used to fund mental health services for veterans and at-risk youth, school safety programs and support for the victims of domestic abuse.
No to banning the hunting of lions, lynx and bobcats. Let the professionals do their job, continuing to regulate and make management decisions. Hunting lynx is already illegal under state and federal law.
No. Continue to let judges make the decision as to how long a sentence an individual convicted of a very serious crime must serve. Increasing discretionary parole eligibility from seventy-five to eighty-five percent of a served sentence is arbitrary and there is no known evidence of longer prison terms reducing violent crimes.
No. This new level of veterinary care lowers the standard of care for pets and does not offer any true benefits.
No. While appealing to those who believe additional support for local law enforcement is needed, a one-time funding of $350 million for the training, salaries and a death benefit would not provide continuous long-term improvements, and it would put a large hole in a state budget that’s already going to be in the red.
Yes. A strong yes. One primary ballot and ranked choice balloting for general elections would exclude candidates on each party’s extremes, giving the middle 60% of voters an opportunity to shape the direction of the state. Colorado has been a leader in smart election reform – asking voters before raising taxes, mail-in ballots, a higher threshold to amend the constitution – and this would add to that better-government march. Political parties will still be able to put forward their candidates, they’ll just have to promote a possible winner in November, not only at the primary.
Maybe. The bond requests voters approve $150 million for a new elementary school at Three Springs, infrastructure improvements, teacher housing and real estate repurposing. That requires a new mill levy for 15 years to cover the bond amount and interest. While the district is high performing with improved student test scores and additional education offerings, it has not been as specific as it should be to ask for this amount. The district has serious deferred maintenance needs and teacher housing is a major issue. Trust the district to put its plans in place and vote “yes;” or with a “no” ask it to come back in two years with a more robust community education effort that includes all the details.
This question, whether 70% of the county’s lodgers’ tax revenues should be spent on workforce housing and expanding childcare is being considered by rural county voters only. The lodgers’ tax is not collected in Durango and thus Durangoans cannot weigh in. The 70% will make about $636,000 available in the first full year. The Herald’s editorial board says “yes,” that these funds will benefit the workforce in the tourism industries and is thus appropriate. Additional childcare and housing for all economic level families is needed.
