ELECTION DAY 2016
Glenwood Springs—Not long after the polls opened this morning, over two-thirds of the ballots sent out to Garfield County voters had been returned. About 30 thousand were mailed out last month and so far, Republican ballots outnumber Democrat ballots by about one thousand. Statewide, that margin is closer to 20 thousand. The intriguing number everyone is watching closely is the unaffiliated or independent category which is hovering just below seven thousand in Garfield County and over 656 thousand statewide out of more than 2.2 million ballots returned.
MORE ELECTION NEWS…
DENVER (AP) – Colorado voters are choosing more than political candidates today. They’re also making direct decisions on policy questions ranging from universal health care to a higher minimum wage.
BALLOT PROBLEMS
DENVER (AP) – Some Colorado voters checking the status of their ballots online are finding that they’ve been listed as rejected, often because of a problem with the signature on their ballot, but officials say they have time to make sure the ballots get counted. The spokeswoman for the secretary of state’s office, Lynn Bartels, says voters can go to their clerk’s office to prove the validity of their ballot on Election Day but they have up until eight days after the election to settle things.
RIFLE POACHER SOUGHT
Rifle—A trophy quality mule deer buck was illegally killed on Grass Mesa Road south of Rifle this past Sunday. According to reports from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, eyewitnesses saw a man get out of a gray, crew cab Ford pickup, shoot the buck then speed away leaving the carcass behind. The poaching occurred around 5:30 Sunday evening. Officials with CPW salvaged the meat and donated it to a local family. Anyone with information about this poaching are asked to call District Wildlife Manager Levi Atwater at 985-5882.
ANTI-SEMITIC VANDALISM AT ASPEN PARK
Aspen—Police are trying to find out who spray painted playground equipment at Harmony Park with anti-Semitic graffiti. This past Sunday, officers were called to the park at the Burlingame development where they found swings and other items tagged with ‘666’, ‘RIP’ and several swastikas. Aspen Police Sergeant Rob Fabrocini says graffiti is fairly common in alleys but it’s rare to find Nazi symbols. He says the vandals could’ve been kids who didn’t comprehend the meaning of the symbols.