SAGUACHE — In unofficial result, voters in Saguache County followed the trend statewide on Proposition CC, voting 911 “no” to 736 “yes” to keep Tabor laws alive and while shooting down proposition DD 1005 to 539.
CC was defeated statewide by a 55 to 44 percent margin. But proposition DD, which some are still saying it’s too close to call, was approved statewide by a 50.48 percent margin. A total of 49.52 percent of voters rejected the measure.
Center voters turned thumbs-down on both a sales and use tax (64.89 percent “no” to 35.11 “yes”) and to allowing Retail Marijuana Dispensaries (62.36 percent “no” to 37.64 percent “yes”).
Rio Grande County Election Results
Rio Grande County
The Upper Rio Grande School District (URGSD) will welcome three new members to the board of education after preliminary results for the 2019 coordinated election came in election night. Preliminary results for the open positions are as follows, Cory Off received a total of 963 votes, Veronica Climie received 731 votes and Keith Brown received 689 votes. All three candidates will be serving terms that will be determined at a later date. Candidate Donna Velasquez received 438 votes, Jerry Gallegos received 622 votes and Brian Velasquez received 272 votes. The school district is in the midst of change with the election results being a huge factor in how the school moves forward. All candidates have expressed their desire to bring transparency to the board of education and to be more involved and open with the community. The voters in Del Norte showed up in force Tuesday night and made sure their desires were known.     
In addition to the school board, the town of Monte Vista unofficially passed a new sales tax increase - also known as the One Cent Projects Fund. There were 527 “yes” votes cast and 406 “no” votes for the One Cent Projects Fund which correspondingly increases the city’s taxes by $475,000 in 2020 (the first full year of such tax increase) and by whatever amounts are raised annually thereafter by the additional sales tax at the rate of  1% will be credited to the City of Monte Vista’s “One Cent Project’s Fund” which is dedicated solely for the payment of capital improvements and operating expenditures for (1) streets and sidewalks, (2) Police department and public safety and (3) Ski Hi Park purposes as approved by the Monte Vista City Council following consideration of the recommendations of a to-be-established One Cent Project’s Fund oversight citizen’s committee. The city of Monte Vista anticipates to receive a minimum of $400,000 in annual revenue from the 1% sales tax increase. These tax revenues will not be added to the City’s budget until the fall of 2020. Of the anticipated $400,000, $160,000 will go to Ski Hi Park projects to fund long-term maintenance of the facility in order to keep costs to users lower and the funds will help the Friends of Ski Hi Park organization with their goal of planning and funding a replacement for the existing multipurpose building which would involve demolishing of existing buildings. Part of the revenue from the One Cent Tax Fund would be utilized to assist this project in happening and making sure that city recreation priorities can be part of the building project. If a new building is unable to be built, then some funds from the one cent project fund may be utilized to make the best possible improvements to the existing multipurpose building. If a new building is constructed some funds from the one cent project fund may be used to provide seed money and matching funds for additional improvements to Ski Hi Park.”  Thirty-five percent, or $140,000, of the anticipated $400,000 will be distributed to the Monte Vista Public Works department, with the first priority being street paving. The city has an estimated 3 miles of dirt roads that would be paved. The public works portion of the funds also establishes an annual sidewalk replacement fund in order to raise and keep sidewalks in a better rating and improving drainage with larger drainage pipes, improved storm inlets and valley pans on those roads without curb and gutter.

Mineral County Election Results
CREEDE- Mineral County clerk Eryn Wintz stressed to the public Tuesday night after turning in unofficial vote counts that the end results could potentially change due to Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voters and one county transfer ballot that could count if received before cure date. If a discrepancy is found, there is an opportunity for the voter to come into the election office and “cure” the discrepancy. The election official will contact the voter explaining the problem and asking them to verify their information and verifying that they did in fact cast the ballot. In Colorado a confirmation form accompanying the verification letter must be returned to the county clerk and recorder 8 days after Election Day to count.
In a post published on Facebook Wintz cautioned voters of the possibility of change, “I want to caution voters that these results are UNOFFICIAL as under Colorado Law there are still ballots that could be received and counted in this office because they fall under “special circumstance” and therefore, have extended dates to cure. Understand it is possible that we could receive a few more ballots that will count because they are UOCAVA.”
 Wintz continued to state, “One School District Board of Education Two Year Term seat race is very close. The very few outstanding curable ballots could sway a different result. Please honor our transparency that this is an unofficial result and we will update as we can. This tight race and big turnout proves the importance of these positions. Thank you to the members that serve. I am extremely proud of my election team, they are all professional, thorough, detail oriented and caring people. If you have questions, I can be reached at my office by phone (719) 658-2440 or email [email protected].”
According to preliminary, unofficial results that were provided by Mineral County Clerk election reports, the Creede School District will welcome two new board members and two returning board members.
Preliminary, unofficial results are as follows: Casey Adelman won with 361 votes for the four-year term on the school board as well as Kara Brittain, who was re-elected with 295 votes for a four-year term. Kassidy Mankowski came in with a very close 282 votes.
School Board candidate Jen Harbert won the two-year term with 305 votes with re-elected board member David Robinson coming in at 300 votes. Tim Bachicha came in with a very close 297 votes.
Wintz emphasized, “These results are UNOFFICIAL as I still have two UOCAVA voters and one county transfer ballot that could count if received before cure date. Those three ballots could sway the result. They will also determine if we are to do a mandatory hand count, which I am happy to do. I will know by Tuesday next week and will provide details.”
The Mineral County Miner will report the final counts when they come available by next Tuesday.