Ballots will go out this week to roughly 10,300 Montezuma County possible voters ahead of the 2012 primary election.
According to Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder Carol Tullis, ballots will be sent to all active and inactive voters registered with the Republican, Democrat, Libertarian and American Constitution parties.
The only local primary races that are happening are in the Republican primary, but there are state races for the other parties so they will all be receiving ballots, Tullis said.
This years primary election is being conducted solely by mail-in ballot, there will be no polling stations on primary day Tuesday, June 26.
It does save the county money to operate the election through mail-in ballot, Tullis said. It is also a less complicated process when you eliminate polling places.
Republicans, nearly 7,000 of whom will receive ballots this week, will decide contested races for Montezuma County commissioner and 22nd Judicial District attorney.
In the commissioners race, Keenan Ertel, Pat DeGagne-Rule and Bud Garner are vying to fill the District 2 seat that will be vacated by Commissioner Larrie Rule, who will step down as a result of term limits. No candidate as of yet has filed paperwork with the clerks office to run against the winner of the Republican primary.
Dewayne Findley and Casey McClellan are competing to represent the Republican ticket in the race for the District 3 seat, currently held by Gerald Koppenhafer, who is also term limited. Either Findley or McClellan will face Larry Don Suckla, an unaffiliated candidate, in the November election.
Greg Kemp, another unaffiliated candidate, could join the District 3 race this week.
Two Republicans are fighting over the nod for the 22nd Judicial District attorney position. Incumbent Russell Wasley has been challenged by local defense attorney Will Furse in the race.
When voting by mail-in ballot, Tullis encourages voters to double check their ballots and be sure they have followed voting instructions.
They need to keep in mind that they sign the back of their envelopes and they need to remember that it does take postage to mail them back, Tullis said. The ballots should be included in the secrecy sleeve, which is also the instruction sheet.
Voters who have not received a ballot in the next week should contact the clerks office immediately, Tullis said.
Chances are maybe their address is wrong or they didnt change their address when they moved, she said. There are many different reasons people may have not received a ballot, but they need to let us know or it will not be corrected.
Voters may verify their status on the Colorado secretary of states website, www.govotecolorado.com.
Colorados primary elections are closed primaries, meaning only voters registered with a specific party may participate in the election. While the deadline has already passed for voters to switch party affiliation ahead of the primary, unaffiliated voters may declare a party and vote up until 7 p.m. on primary day, Tuesday, June 26. Tullis encourages unaffiliated voters who wish to cast a ballot to contact the clerks office.
Reach Kimberly Benedict at kimberlyb@cortezjournal.com.
