General Election Update/Recap

The 2012 General Election wrap-up is underway across the country and in Colorado. Here are some of the more final figures of local interest from the Secretary of State’s office as of Wednesday morning, November 7.

Prowers County had 7,107 registered voters according to County Clerk & Recorder, Jana Coen. The last figures to be tabulated from election night were 3,700 mail in ballots which accounted for some of the delay for results. Ballots from Granada, Wiley and Holly are transported to the courthouse from those precincts once the polls close, which also accounts for a slight delay in precinct updates.

The provisional ballots numbered a little over two dozen and they will be counted and added to the total beginning next week. Coen said that any recount in balloting would occur if there was a vote difference of one-half of one percent between any candidates. Given the number of votes cast for Henry Schnabel for District One County Commissioner at 2,408 and challenger Don Seufer at 2,326, the outstanding provisional ballots should not make a difference in the election outcome. The election judges will cavass or certify the ballots by November 16 as being accurate and final. The new Prowers County Commissioner, Wendy Buxton-Andrade along with returning commissioner Henry Schnabel, will take their oath of office on January 8.

Other race recaps:

Cory Gardner was returned to his 4th U.S. Congressional seat for his second term, defeating challenger Brandon Shaffer by a vote of 184,597 to 115,500.

Republican Larry Crowder defeated Crestina Martinez for the State Senate District 35 seat with 22,093 votes to 20,149.

Republican Tim Dore became the new State House District 64 Representative defeating Libertarian Nick Schneider 24,044 to 7,549.

Jennifer Swanson ran unopposed for the District Attorney seat for the 15th Judicial District and received 6,820 votes. She is term limited, so new candidates will be on the future ballot. James Bullock defeated Daniel Hyatt for the 16th Judicial District Attorney position, 2,467 to 1,763.

P. Douglass Tallman was retained as a judge in the 15th Judicial District with 5,316 votes in favor and 2,305 opposed.

Three statewide amendments came before Colorado voters in the election. Amendment S was passed by a vote of 1,168,482 to 908,374. Gov. John Hickenlooper released this statement last night about Amendment S: “We owe a big thank you to Colorado. We are grateful voters saw the benefits in overhauling the state’s outdated personnel system. The changes approved today will improve delivery of services and give our veterans more opportunities to compete for state jobs.”

Amendment 64, a controversial measure legalizing recreational marijuana use in Colorado, passed by a vote of 1,253,164 to 1,032,620. Governor HIckenlooper was quoted as saying, ”The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will. This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug so don’t break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly.” State Attorney General John Suthers said he will abide by the will of the voters, but did not think the amendment would withstand legal scrutiny by the federal government which still outlaws the use of marijuana.

Amendment 65 also passed by a vote of 1,610,333, to 571,511. The measure, mostly symbolic, has no legal force behind it, but calls for campaign finance reforms to end corporate spending on political campaigning. It urges the state’s federal representatives to offer amendments ending large dollar contributions under the Citizen’s USA allotments allowed by a Supreme Court vote.

By Russ Baldwin