At Tuesday night’s Winter Park Town Council meeting, Grand County Clerk and Recorder, Sara Rosene, presented information to the Council in an effort to help educate the community on this month’s Primary Election, which includes candidates for Governor, Congress, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General, along with several County officials.

Rosene explained that, in 2013, the laws changed to a mail-in ballot process, which is how this election will be held. However, she did tell the Council that 3 polling places would be open in Grand County for the upcoming November election.

She went on to tell the Council that, as a result of the 2016 passage of Colorado Proposition 108, unaffiliated electors are now allowed to participate in the primary elections of major political parties, without declaring an affiliation with a party. In Grand County, 36% of registered voters fall under the Unaffiliated category, and, in Winter Park, that number rises to 45%, so voting in a primary will be new for many.

This year, for the first time, Unaffiliated voters will receive both the Democratic and Republican ballots, BUT, they may only choose and complete one of the two, in order for their vote to count.

Rosene said they’d mailed out 10,420 ballots on Monday: 2,375 Democratic; 4,216 Republican; and, 3,829 Unaffiliated, weighing in at 1,091 pounds of posted mail! Registered voters can expect to receive a ballot in the mail any day now. If you don’t receive one, you can call the Grand County Clerk’s Office and request a replacement by calling (970) 725-3065, but only until June 18th.

Instructions are included with the ballots and all voters are encouraged to review the instructions prior to completing your ballot. All ballots must be received by 7 pm on June 26th, and postmarks do not count.

More information about this year’s Primary Election is available at: uchoose.co.gov.