Republican Steve Nowlin won his reelection bid for Montezuma County sheriff.
Nowlin will serve a third, four-year term.
According to unofficial final results, Nowlin had 8,663 votes, compared with challenger Odis Sikes’ 2,961 votes, a winning margin of 74.53% to 25.47%.
Voter turnout was 66%, with 12,499 ballots counted out of 18,894 registered voters.
More than 6,000 ballots came in Monday and Tuesday, with over 3,000 ballots arriving on Election Day, said Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder Kim Percell.
The election for sheriff was the only competitive race in Montezuma County. There are no local ballot questions.
During his campaign Nowlin emphasized his 45 years of experience as a certified peace officer in Colorado law enforcement. He said he runs his department professionally with officers who are carefully vetted for good character, ethics and a willingness to serve the public.
Nowlin began his first term as sheriff in 2014. Before serving as sheriff, Nowlin has served with the Cortez Police Department, the county Sheriff’s Office and 21 years with the Colorado State Patrol as a Trooper and a criminal investigator.
“It is a very professional and well-trained agency,” he said during his campaign. “I could not be more proud of men and women that serve this community in your Sheriff’s Office.”
Sikes, the unaffiliated candidate running against Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin, touts Constitutional values, tough-on-crime policies and community relationships.
Sikes has lived in Montezuma County since the late 1980s, but only considered running for sheriff early last year after encouragement from J. Fargo’s manager and Montezuma County Patriots Freedom Rides leader Tiffany Gray (formerly Tiffany Ghere) and other members of the community.
“We share the common belief that our Constitution was bought and paid for by blood; it was not given to us by our government, therefore cannot be taken away from us by our government,” Gray said. “Given the position and authority that the sheriff’s position has, we need someone who’s strong and stands on the Constitution.”
When asked why he decided to run for sheriff, Sikes said, “I’m not a politician. We don’t need a politician, and I’ve never been in law enforcement, so I’m not a cop. I don’t think like a cop. I think like you think.”
Several candidates running for Montezuma County offices are unchallenged and were elected to office. They include:
Republican Jim Candelaria for county commission District 1; Gerald Koppenhafer for county commission District 3; Republican Kim Percell, clerk and recorder; Republican Ellen Black, treasurer; unaffiliated Leslie Kennedy-Bugg, assessor; unaffiliated Rita Jeanne Caffey, surveyor; and George Deavers, coroner.
