Unless an unaffiliated candidate petitions onto the November general election ballot, the Montezuma County commissioner race for District 2 and 3 seats likely will be decided during the June 30 primary election.
Republican candidates Kent Lindsay and Danny Wilkin are running in District 2, which represents the Cortez area. Republican candidates Monty Guiles and Joel “Joe” Stevenson are running in District 3, which represents the Mancos area. The winners will be on the November ballot, and as of Friday, would face no challengers. Successful candidates will replace commissioners Keenan Ertel and Larry Don Suckla, who cannot run for another term.
Republican Allan Randolph attempted to petition onto the Republican primary ballot for District 2 but did not gather the required 804 signatures.
“It was a lot of work, but I came up 40 short because they were disqualified,” he said.
No Democrats are running for the county commission seats, and no unaffiliated candidates have filed plans to petition onto the November ballot, said Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder Kim Percell. The deadline is July 9 for an unaffiliated candidate to turn in a completed petition to make the November ballot.
The June 30 primary election is by mail ballot. Ballots will be sent out the week of June 8.
Only Republicans and unaffiliated voters may vote in the Republican primary. For others who want to vote for a commissioner, June 1 is the last day to change your party to either Republican or unaffiliated.
The Journal has sent a candidate questionnaire to commissioner candidates, and responses will be published before the primary.
In other contested primary races, voters will choose between Republicans Lauren Boebert and imcumbent Scott Tipton for the U.S. Congressional District 3 nomination. Democrats will vote for either James Iacino and Diane E. Mitsch Bush. The winners will face off in the November election.
For U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, has no challengers in the Republican primary. In the general election, he will face the winner of the June 30 primary – Andrew Romanoff or John W. Hickenlooper.
Mailed ballots must reach the clerk’s office by June 30 at 7 p.m. Ballot boxes will be available 24 hours a day at:
Montezuma Clerk and Recorder, 140 W. Main St., CortezDolores Town Hall, 420 Central Ave.Mancos Town Hall, 117 N. Main St.Ute Mountain Tribal Complex building, 124 Mike Wash Road, Towaoc.jmimiaga@the-journal.com
