Meeker voters will go to polls in April

MEEKER I Meeker’s board of trustees opted for polling places instead of mail ballots in the upcoming election, which will save the town almost $5,000.
Three board seats — now held by Mayor Mandi Etheridge and trustees Regas Halandras and Chuck Mills — will be up for re-election in April.
Historically, voter turnout for municipal elections is 6-10 percent. Town Clerk Lisa Cook said a recent mail ballot election had a 26 percent voter turnout, but there was a question about de-Brucing on that ballot. Ten years ago, with a proposed sales tax increase on the ballot, voter turnout was 28 percent.
“I don’t think you can say the mail ballot will give a better turnout, it just depends what’s on the ballot,” Cook said.
The mail ballot election is twice as expensive as a polling place election.
Voters who requested to receive a permanent mail-in ballot will receive an absentee ballot.
If there are no ballot questions or contested offices, the town can opt to cancel the election.