Colorado Election Night Update

Michael Logerwell
·3 min read

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — It’s Election Day in Colorado, and voters here in Mesa County are weighing in on two candidate races along with some state, county, and city ballot measures.

Let’s start off with the latest results for seats on the District 51 School Board. In a three-way race to represent District A for a four-year term Jose Luis Chavez is in the lead with nearly 43% of the vote. He’s followed by Cyndee Skalla, who accounts for more than 39% of the vote. Jessica Hearns trails with less than 18% of the vote.

Meanwhile, it’s a tight race between the two candidates wanting to represent ‘district b’ on the school board. Barbara Evanson has a slight lead with just over 50% of the vote.
she’s closely followed by Cindy Enos Martinez, who so far accounts for just *under 50% of the vote. At last count, only 346 votes separated them.

City Measures

Residents of Grand Junction are voting on a pair of municipal measures on the ballot.

Question 2A asks voters to approve a pay increase for city council members, and allow them to join the city’s health insurance plans. So far, the voters saying ‘yes’ to the measure is roughly 43%, while the voters saying ‘no’ is currently about 57%.

Question 2B asks voters to increase the authorized lease term for city property from 25 years to a term not to exceed 99 years when the property is to be used for affordable housing or workforce housing. The voters saying ‘yes’ to the measure is about 51%, while the voters saying ‘no’ is roughly 49%.

County Measures

Voters are also weighing in on some county ballot measures.

Including Question 1B, which asks if the term limit for Mesa County Clerk and Recorder should be expanded to an additional term for a maximum of 3 consecutive terms. At this point, the number of voters saying ‘yes’ to the measure is at 35%, while the number of voters saying ‘no’ is currently at 65%.

There are three other similar ballot measures affecting the county positions of assessor, surveyor, and treasurer. They’re all currently receiving a no from a majority of voters.

Statewide Propositions

Voters statewide are deciding on two ballot measures that would affect their pocketbooks, as well as state funds.

Proposition HH asks voters to allow state government to keep some amount of surplus tax revenue—which the Colorado Constitution currently requires be refunded back to taxpayers—in exchange the measure would lower property tax rates for 10 years. The number of voters saying ‘yes’ to the proposition is nearly 493,000 with just over 39%. The number of voters saying ‘no’ is currently more than 760,000 with nearly 61%.

Proposition II would allow the state to keep and spend more than 23 million dollars in tax revenue that has already been collected from the sale of tobacco and nicotine products and spend the money on preschool programs. The number of voters saying ‘yes’ to the proposition is more than 828,000 with just over 66%. The number of voters saying ‘no’ is currently more than 420,000 with nearly 34%.

Western Slope Now will continue to update election results from around Western Colorado.

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