Eskelson, Hill win commissioner seats

RBC I Rio Blanco County elected two new county commissioners in the 2012 Republican primary election. Jeff Eskelson defeated incumbent Kai Turner and Jon D. Hill defeated Chris Brasfield to fill the seat vacated by Ken Parsons. The two new commissioners will be seated in January 2013.
“It’s been a very humbling experience,” Eskelson said of the election by phone late Tuesday night after the unofficial results were posted. “I look forward to the challenges and I’m thankful to the people who supported me. There is a lot to do and I have a lot to learn.”
Hill is ready to go to work also.
“Thank you,” Hill wanted to tell voters. “I am going to sit down one on one with the current commissioners, the county department heads, both cities, and the business community. I feel a serious obligation to the voters, with the support I have had.”
Rio Blanco County Clerk and Recorder Nancy Amick said the turnout was down slightly from 2010 but “went extremely smoothly.” Amick said 62 percent of the active voters cast votes in 2012, compared to 71 percent (1742) cast in 2010.
“We had three candidates for county commissioner and three candidates for county coroner in 2010, so there was a lot of interest,” Amick said. “In 2008, only 38 percent of the active voters cast votes.”
According to the unofficial results from Rio Blanco County Clerk and Recorder office, available on RBC’s website (www.co.rio-blanco.co.us) 2,490 ballots were mailed and 1,537 or 62 percent of them were cast. Eskelson received 830 votes (54 percent) compared to Turner’s 664 (43 percent).
Hill earned 931 votes (61 percent) and will take Parsons’ seat after garnering 420 more than Christine Brasfield, who earned 511.
The race for the Colorado Senate in District 8 was hotly contested with state representative Randy Baumgardner, whose name appeared at the top of the ballot, earned 763 Rio Blanco County votes, while incumbent Jean White received 681. It has been reported by the Denver Post that Baumgardner won the Republican primary for District 8 and will face Democratic candidate Emily Tracy in the November general election.