From the Campaign: Grand County Civics
Over the course of my campaign, I have learned a lot about how others view government. Not just politics, but also the role of local government in our lives, how it has changed over the years, and what it should look like.
I also get a lot of questions about how our local government operates, and how our local elections work. Many are focused on the local level, and I wanted to share the answers to the top four questions I am asked. Hopefully this helps, and if you have any other questions please do not hesitate to comment or contact me.
What are the commissioner districts?
Grand County is divided into three districts of similar population, as established by Colorado law (Colorado Revised Statutes § 1-4-205).
District 1 is the southeastern corner of the county, including the towns of Winter Park, Fraser, and Tabernash. It is represented by Ed Raegner.
District 2 is the Granby-Grand Lake corridor, going from the eastern border of the county (the Continental Divide) to Highway 34. It is represented by Merrit Linke.
District 3 is everything west of Highway 34, all the way to our western border. It includes the towns of Hot Sulphur Springs, Parshall, and Kremmling. It is currently represented by Randy George. It is the largest district in size, as so much of our county is public land and open space.
Can I vote for you if I don’t live in your district?
YES. Under Colorado law (C.R.S. 30-10-306.7), each commissioner has to live in their unique district, but the entire county votes for all three. What matters is that you are a registered voter in Grand County.
What does it mean to be unaffiliated?
Another word would be ‘independent.’ It means I am not a member of any political party. That includes the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as minor or “third” parties, like the Libertarian, Constitution, and Green parties.
As an unaffiliated voter in Colorado, I receive primary election ballots (June) from both major parties. If you also get both ballots, remember that you can only submit one. Otherwise, both get voided!
In the general election ballot (November), I can vote for anyone I want to, no matter their affiliation or lack thereof.
Why are you unaffiliated?
I do not believe parties belong at the local level.
A common saying in independent voter circles is, “potholes are not partisan.”
That is to say, there is nothing inherently Democratic or Republican about patching a pothole on a public road. While leaders may differ on budget priorities, even with infrastructure management, the work has to get done and citizens deserve a direct line to whomever is responsible for getting it done. No party platform declares, “don’t patch the pothole.”
Some local issues can be more partisan, but local government is about neighbors. We can each have a close relationship with our county officials, and that means our county officials are much more accountable to us than, say, a candidate for the state or the national government. As a local and unaffiliated commissioner, my priority will always be listening to and serving the people of Grand County, instead of acting in accordance with a party platform. I will have to respond directly and clearly to each of you, to explain my thoughts and get more of yours to consider.
Please share any other questions you might have about local elections and civics in general. A more informed public is a more engaged public, and we all deserve to have a thoughtful say in the management and leadership of our communities.
