RBC I For those affiliated with any of three political parties in Rio Blanco County, Tuesday is Election Day, when all ballots in the mail-in or drop-in vote must be submitted by 7 p.m.
There are several contested races for those affiliated with the Republican Party, both in state and county races, while the Democrats don’t have any candidates for county office and seven uncontested candidates for state and federal office. The county’s third party is the American Constitution Party, and those members have one candidate for secretary of state on their ballot.
Ballots can be dropped off or mailed into the two designated ballot drop-off locations, which are the Rio Blanco County Clerk’s offices in Meeker and Rangely. The clerk’s office in Meeker is in the county courthouse, located at 555 Main St.; in Rangely the office is in the Western Annex at 17497 Hwy. 64.
The drop-off hours at the two offices are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today, on Friday and on Monday. Voting hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, which is election day. The Meeker clerk’s office will also be open 10 am. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Ballots that are mailed in must be received by 7 p.m. on Tuesday; earlier postmarks will not be counted.
County Clerk and Recorder Nancy Amick said that if voters have spoiled ballots or if they were lost or were never received in the June 3 mailing, those persons may request a replacement ballot at the clerks’ offices.
For primary purposes only, voters must be affiliated or unaffiliated voters can affiliate with one of the three parties up until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Amick said it is too late for Democratic or Republican voters to change their party affiliation for this year’s vote.
“I would strongly encourage the voters to turn in their ballots as early as possible this year,” Amick said. “Turning them in early avoids last-day or last-minute complications with being able to drop the ballots off, and it also helps us get a start on the ballot counting.
“Last year, a lot of ballots came in on Monday and Tuesday, and that slowed things down,” she said. “Early ballots will prevent voters having to wait to turn in their votes and that really helps to speed up the entire process.”
The only contested in-county race is on the Republican ballot, pitting current Rio Blanco County Undersheriff Michael Joos against Anthony Mazzola, the chief investigator for the Office of the District Attorney in the Ninth Judicial District, to fill the vacancy left by retiring Republican Sheriff Si Woodruff.
Republican Candidates (where there are multiple candidates, voters may only vote for one): U.S. Senator: Cory Gardner; District 3 U.S. Representative: Scott R. Tipton or Dave Cox; Governor: Mike Kopp, Scott Gessler, Tom Tancredo and Bob Beauprez; Secretary of State: Wayne W. Williams; State Treasurer: Walker Stapleton; Attorney General: Cynthia Coffman; State Board of Education (Congressional District 3): Barbara Ann Smith or Marcia Neal; State Representative (District 57): Bob Rankin; County Commissioner: Shawn Bolton; County Clerk and Recorder: Boots M. Campbell; County Treasurer: Karen Arnold; County Assessor: Renae T. Neilson; County Sheriff: Michael R. Joos or Anthony Mazzola; County Surveyor: Jonathon Leif Joy; and County Coroner: Albert Krueger.
Democratic Candidates (none opposed within party): U.S. Senator: Mark Udall; District 3 U.S. Representative: Abel J. Tapia; Governor: John Hickenlooper; Secretary of State: Joe Neguse; State Treasurer: Betsy Markey; Attorney General: Don Quick; and State Board of Education (Congressional District 3): Henry C. Roman.
