Weather affects voting access in parts of Southwest Colorado ahead of Election Day

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Nearly 1.6 million Coloradans have returned their ballots ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Recent weather in Southwest Colorado has affected voting access for some residents.

More than 39% of active voters in Colorado have cast ballots. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office identified Archuleta and La Plata counties as the areas seeing the biggest impact.

Archuleta County

Secretary of State Jena Griswold said the Archuleta County clerk and recorder closed one ballot drop box and one voter center because of flood risk.

The clerk opened three additional locations: two voter centers and one mobile drop box staffed by bipartisan election judges, Griswold said.

According to the state, voters should no longer attempt to return their ballots at the following Archuleta County locations:

• Ross Aragon Community Center Voter Center
• Pagosa Springs Town Hall ballot drop box

The state lists the new locations, which opened Nov. 1:

• Archuleta County Courthouse Voter Center: 109 Harmon Park Drive, Pagosa Springs. Open Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Pine River Library at Bayfield (joint La Plata/Archuleta voter center): 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield. Open Monday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Archuleta County voters can vote a replacement ballot with all their local contests at this location.
• Mobile drop box: parking lot at 10 Solomon Drive, Pagosa Springs. Open Monday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

La Plata County

Griswold said emergency management officials are operating three shelters in La Plata County. She said there are no changes to voting locations at this time.

The La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s Office will deploy mobile voting teams staffed by bipartisan election judges to bring ballots to voters at the shelters, Griswold said.

Voting locations and hours remain unaffected in Conejos, La Plata, Montezuma and Rio Grande counties.

Turnout

The state said the flooding has not affected voter turnout.

“There are really tremendous efforts by our clerks,” Griswold said. “So far more than 5,200 voters in Archuleta and 20,000 voters in La Plata have already returned their ballot both of which are approaching 50% turnout despite the weather.”

Mesa County

The area has seen some rain, but the weather has not led to changes in the election process in Mesa County.

Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Bobbie Gross said the county was not affected by the flooding in the same way as Archuleta and La Plata counties.

“We always have contingency plans for if we have natural disasters that happen or fires that may occur,” Gross said. “So we have backup plans and backup processes in order to go to our neighboring counties for help if we need that additional help, but we’ll make sure that people’s votes are counted and that they’ll have opportunity to cast their ballot.”