Montezuma County voters, with its very strong turnout of 76.5% (15,200 ballots cast of 19,936 active voters), favored the Donald Trump/JD Vance ticket with 59% of the vote, 21 greater than Harris/Walz. So, too, did Dolores County voters favor Trump/Vance with 76% of the vote. Statewide, Harris/Walz won the state with 54%, 11 points greater than Trump/Vance.
Newcomers are likely playing a role in the state results, coloring north and south of Denver and in the mountains bluer.
How did Montezuma’s and Dolores County’s views on candidates and issues compare with the state on a few significant questions?
Montezuma County gave 3rd Congressional District House of Representatives candidate Jeff Hurd a 19 point advantage over Adam Frisch 58 to 39, while Dolores County favored Hurd by 47 points, 72% to 25%. Hurd won the southern Colorado-Western Slope district with a 3% margin.
For the state Senate, Montezuma County gave Alamosa incumbent Sen. Cleave Simpson 64% of the vote to Durango resident Vivian Smotherman’s 36%. Dolores County voters showed even greater support for Simpson with 78%. Across the district, Simpson, who has a record of bipartisan legislation, found favor with 56% of the vote.
In House District 58, Montezuma voters got behind former County Commissioner Larry Don Suckla with 75% of the vote to Kathleen Curry’s 25%. Dolores voters equally liked Suckla with 77%. Districtwide, Suckla earned 54%. Congratulations, Representative-elect Suckla.
In District 59, which includes most of Montezuma County, Durango resident Katie Stewart bested Ignacio Mayor Clark Craig, by almost 1,300 votes, giving her 51% of the district’s vote. Montezuma County supported Craig, 57% to Stewart, 43%. Stewart will succeed term-limited Barbara McLachlan, who was reelected for four terms, keeping the seat Democratic when historically it has flipped R to D and back.
Stewart, a Durango School District 9-R board member, ran on her family’s multigeneration residency in Durango, the importance of good education, expanded health care, particularly reproductive health care access, small-business support and workforce training. With an ever shrinking state budget, it’s uncertain what is possible, but Stewart will be there representing most of Montezuma county and the whole of her district. Congratulations and best of luck.
For State Board of Education Member – CD3, voters got behind school district RE-1 board president, Sherri Wright, 62% to 38% over Ellen Angeles. Dolores County supported Wright with 77%. Districtwide, Wright won with a 14% margin, with 57%. It is The Journal editorial board’s hope that Wright will work to bring advocacy and funding for Southwest Colorado schools. Thanks to Wright for wanting to serve in this role.
Notably, in this election in Montezuma, Dolores and La Plata counties, voters supported all school district ballot measures. Citizens know there is a need to continually invest in our teachers and students, and improve our public education system.
The District Attorney race was little surprise with Montezuma County voters favoring Jeremy Reed 66% over Christian Hatfield, and Dolores County heavily favoring Reed at 78%. Hatfield was beleaguered by an August car crash near Farmington where he was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both. Best of luck to DA-elect Reed’s return to the office,
With state ballot issues, Montezuma and Dolores Counties favored veterans, providing those with unemployability status a property tax reduction with 71% and 70%, respectively, slightly below the state’s 73%.
Montezuma County voters narrowly opposed removing the prohibition against same-sex marriage from the state’s constitution, with 52%. At 64%, Dolores voters strongly opposed its removal. It passed statewide with 64% in favor. Were citizens voting their values, because the issue is moot given the 2015 Supreme Court decision that negated Colorado’s language?
County voters similarly differed from voters statewide in opposing adding the right to abortion to the constitution. Again, Montezuma County with 51%, and 63% of Dolores County, firmly voting against it. Statewide, it passed with 62% in favor.
The amendment’s passage codifies the procedure in the state constitution as it is already legal due to the 2022 Reproductive Health Equity Act, an act of the Legislature that without constitutional protection could be reversed.
As to putting school choice in the constitution, 57% of Montezuma County and 59% of Dolores County strongly said “yes,” versus 52% in favor statewide.
Banning the hunting of lions, lynx and bobcats failed with 69% of Montezuma and 82% of Dolores County voters; statewide 55% said “no.” Trophy hunting is already illegal in Colorado, and hunting lynx is, too. We are not comfortable, however, with the use of dogs and GPS trackers; that is not fair chase.
Montezuma County shunned a combined primary and ranked choice voting system, with 61%, and Dolores voting 66%t “no,” to 55% statewide.
Montezuma-Cortez voters approved 4B with 54% that will add 3.9 mils (the equivalent of $2.1 million in 2025) to their property tax bills to support teacher and paraprofessional salaries, allowing stronger retention and hiring opportunities. In the past, voters have turned down support for teachers. This is a notable step forward.
For Dolores voters, it was an easier choice with 68% in favor, as they were affirming the continuation of an existing mill levy that supports salaries, supplies and technology.
Fortunately, the Cortez Fire District got its sales tax approved with 54% in favor for much needed maintenance, equipment and wages. As a sales tax, a portion will be paid by visitors, who may also benefit.
Montezuma County didn’t get its first sales tax, unfortunately, failing with 57% against. That would have delivered much needed funding for the Sheriff’s department and the jail, and freed up other county tax revenue for other needs that have been eliminated or reduced because of budget constraints.
For better or worse, what the election showed us is we have our differences and our similarities.
