Unofficial Election Results from Prowers County and Colorado

The following are the unofficial results on balloting in the State of Colorado and Prowers County from numbers issued by the Secretary of State’s office and from the Prowers Count Clerk and Recorder.  There were 7201 registered voters in the county.

Prowers County Commissioner, Wendy Buxton-Andrade ran unopposed for her seat in District Three and will remain in office for a new term. Tom Grasmick ran unopposed for the District One seat left vacant by Commissioner Henry Schnabel who decided not to run for re-election.  Grasmick hails from the Granada area and will take office in January along with Buxton-Andrade and Ron Cook who was not up for re-election this cycle.

The contest for the 15^th Judicial District Attorney’s office was won by Attorney Josh Vogel who was running on the GOP ballot.  He will replace Jennifer Swanson who was term limited in her seat.  Vogel defeated Democratic challenger Rodney Fouracre by a vote of 3,406 to 1,277.

The position of State Representative, District 64, for southeastern Colorado was won by GOP contender, Kimmi Lewis with 3,614 votes. She was challenged by Democrat candidate, Kathleen Conway who received 1,171 votes.  The state count was 17,779 to 4,451.

There was a three-way race for State Senator, District 35. Incumbent GOP candidate, Larry Crowder won re-election for his second term with a vote of 3,511 , defeating his Democratic rival James Casias who received 1,081 votes for the office and Libertarian William Bartley who received 191 votes.  The state count was 12,873 to 6,904 to 775.

The race for U.S. Representative for Colorado District 4 was won by GOP candidate, Ken Buck who received 3,211 votes. His challenger was Democratic newcomer Bob Seay from Lamar, who received 1,589 votes.  Bruce Griffith, Liberterian, received  125 votes.  The state tally was 192,881 to 93,639 to 13,056.

The US Senate race was won by incumbent Democrat, Michael Bennet who defeated his Republican challenger, Darryl Glenn by a vote of 1,006,034 to 925,503.  The County vote was for Glenn 3,088 to Bennet with 1,636.

Judge Stan Brinkley was retained in office as a District Court Judge for the 15^th Judicial District by a vote of 3.767 in favor, to 977 nay votes.

Granada and Wiley residents were faced with ballot decisions which impacted their communities in financial matters. For the second time in two years, Granada residents were asked if the town should sell their rights to the electric infrastructure in the community to Southeast Colorado Power Associates.

A yes vote would authorize the purchase of the utilities for $600,000 cash, plus a 5% annual franchise fee on consumed electricity, a $1,500,000 investment by 2033, lowest comparative rates by class and a one-time credit on bills by January 2017. The vote was 48 in favor and 105 against the sale.

Residents in the Wiley Rural Fire Protection District voted 244 to 194 for a property mill levy increase to raise an additional $23,043 which is based on an additional 3 mills.

Here are the results of statewide voting on these issues:

Amendment T: No Exception to Involuntary Prohibition:  No

Amendment U: Exempts Possessory Interests from Property Taxes: No

Amendment 69: State Health Care System Through Taxes:  Yes

Amendment 70:  State Minimum Wage:  Yes

Amendment 71: Requirements for Initiated Constitutional Amendments:  Yes

Amendment 72:  Tobacco Tax:  No

Proposition 106:  End of Life Through Medical Means:   Yes

Proposition 107:  Presidential Primary Election to Unaffiliated:  Yes

Proposition 108:  Open Primary Elections:  Yes

Thank you to Jana Coen, Prowers County Clerk and Recorder and her dedicated staff, for their efforts to present the November General Election ballot to the voters of Prowers County.

By Russ Baldwin