The primary election season is nearing an end.
Mail ballots must be returned to the Office of the Yuma County Clerk and Recorder, the Election Center or to one of the drop off locations, no later than 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 28, to be counted. Prior to Election Day, mail ballots may be left at any VSPC location or the Yuma County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.
There is a 24-hour drop box at the Yuma Motor Vehicle Branch Office in the Yuma NJC Satellite Campus, 910 S. Main St., and in Wray at the Election Center, 130 E. Third St.
The Yuma location will be full service on Monday, June 27, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
One also can drop off their ballots at the Yuma County Clerk and Recorder’s Office in the Yuma County Courthouse, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
The Election Center in Wray is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and will be open Saturday, June 25, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. It will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Registered Democrats and Republicans have been mailed their party’s primary ballot. Unaffiliated registered voters have received both ballots, but can only return one. If both are filled out and returned, neither will be counted.
Locally, all the action is on the Republican side.
Adam Gates and Jamie Unger each are running for the party’s endorsement for Yuma County Commissioner District 1, which is coming open as incumbent Trent Bushner is not running for another term. (Both candidates were featured in last week’s edition.)
Incumbent Yuma County Sheriff Todd Combs and Curtis Witte are squaring off on the Republican ticket. (Look for articles on them in this week’s edition.)
All other county elected positions up for election are unopposed — incumbent Bev Wenger for Clerk and Recorder, Chrystal Hammond for Treasurer, Cindy Taylor for Assessor, and Javan Jones for Coroner.
Redistricting after the 2020 census has put Yuma County in State House District 63. Washington County also is in the same district — the two counties were in separate districts before redistricting.
Current state Representative Richard Holtorf of Akron is running for the District 63 seat, and has a primary election as Yuma County’s Jessie Vance also is vying for the Republican nod.
Republican Mike O’Donnell, who lives in southern Yuma County, is one of three candidates for Secretary of State, along with Tina Peters and Pam Anderson.
The Republicans have a primary for governor between Greg Lopez and Heidi Ganahl.
There is a Republican primary race for U.S. Senator between Ron Hanks and Joe O’Dea, as well as for the Fourth Congressional District between incumbent Ken Buck and Robert Lewis.
The Democrats do not have candidates for state Senate District 1 nor House District 63. The Democrats have just one candidate for U.S. Senator, Fourth Congressional District, governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, and attorney general.
Do not forget the self-affirmation on the mail ballot envelope must by signed by the voter listed on the label. Also, if there is a “ID Required” on your label, you must enclose a copy of your ID when you return your ballot.
