No Extended Delays Expected in Release of Results
Rick Langenberg
In what could emerge as the “Perfect Drama” for presidential elections, clerk officials are projecting a 90 percent-plus participation rate in today’s (Nov. 5) showdown.
So, if you are reading this article (on Nov. 5 or earlier online), and have not turned in your ballot yet and want to be part of history, head down to a local 24/7 secure drop-box outlet or vote center immediately, or at least prior to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Teller County abounds with a slew of options for your convenience.
According to Teller County Clerk and Recorder Stephanie Kees, preliminary returns and trends have indicated that Election 2024 will become a record-breaker. “We have had a lot of people voting early and we appreciate that,” said Kees. In fact, a week prior to the deadline, officials reported receiving already more than 7,100 ballots returned, which is quite impressive. This amounts to about one-third of the total amount mailed out.
Election 2024 has all ingredients of great political drama: a highly contested and brutal presidential race; hordes of state ballot propositions covering every subject under the sun; key regional state and national races (with the fate of which party controls the U.S. House and Senate at stake); and some significant local issues that have huge fiscal impacts. Two tax issues pertaining to the Woodland Park RE-2 School District and the local ambulance district, have commanded center stage in recent weeks. The only missing ingredient in the 2024 election craze is the lack of contested local races, as all elected county seats at stake have GOP candidates who are not being challenged.
However, the lack of local contested races has not slowed down the election fervor in our area.
Plus, another factor that is sparking more early-ballot returns locally is that leaders of the GOP Party, which many local residents are affiliated with, have reversed their stand from four years ago, when former President Donald Trump frowned on early voting. Party members were told to only cast their tallies on election day.
But now, Trump and most GOP leaders are encouraging voters to return their ballots early. This is welcome news for Teller clerk officials and election judges, who ended up working until the 2:30 and 3 a.m. of the following day for Election 2020. They still may have to work long hours, but more people are voting early. On a national basis, more than 40 million voters have already returned their ballots.
Although many voters are turning in their ballots prior to the deadline, Kees still expects a hefty number to vote today (on Nov. 5). This is part of a tradition that a good portion of the local electorate partake in. “There are many people who like to vote-in-person and that is fine. We have seen those numbers increase.”
Past trends have indicated that many local voters cast their ballots, shortly after receiving them, while many wait until the final days.
For today’s election day deadline, Teller has three polling centers set up at the Woodland Park and Florissant libraries and at the Centennial Building in Cripple Creek. Most Teller voters, though, have opted for dropping off their ballots at drop-box outlets, established in Woodland Park, Divide and Cripple Creek.
Kees said that not as many voters actually mail-in their ballots, compared to past years. With the growing controversy over this system, most favor using the convenience and security of the drop-box outlets.
But as a whole, Colorado has escaped the election controversies that have bombarded other states. State officials have favored making voting as easy and convenient as possible. It is still possible to register to vote on election day, if you present the proper identification.
Some lines could occur at peak times at the vote centers in Teller and El Paso counties on Nov. 5.
For voting results, visit mountainjackpot.com or our Facebook page for regular updates. A more detailed analysis of Election 2024 will appear in our Nov. 12 printed issue. For immediate information, visit the Teller County government’s website. Also, the Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce posts local results on election night.
