Local Democrats led their Republican adversaries in local commissioner and state representative races, according to the Garfield County Clerk and Recorder and Colorado Secretary of State results as of the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 4.
GarCo commissioner seat
Democrat Jonathan Godes led Republican Eric Rudd in the race for Garfield Board of County Commissioners District 1, as outgoing Republican Commission Chair Tom Jankovsky prepares to vacate the seat. As of Tuesday night, Godes, a former mayor of Glenwood Springs, saw 53.3% of the vote in his favor, compared to 46.7% for Rudd, who has served 13 years on the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission.
State Representative for District 57
Democrat Incumbent Rep. Elizabeth Velasco of Glenwood Springs beat out Carbondale Republican challenger Russ Andrews, a secretary of the Colorado Republican Party, to represent House District 57, which encompasses Garfield and Pitkin counties, and the southwest corner of Eagle county. As of Wednesday morning, Velasco tallied 62.51% of the vote to Andrews’ 37.49%. The Associated Press reportedly confirmed the win for Velasco on Tuesday.
Congressional District 3
As of 10:40am on Wednesday morning, the race for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District seat between Republican incumbent Jeff Hurd of Grand Junction and former Aspen City Council member Dwayne Romero, a Democrat, was almost even. With 48.6% of the vote, Hurd held a narrow lead over Romero’s 48.2%. Independent candidate Cory Robertson and unaffiliated candidate Clifton Brown tallied 1.6% of the vote each.
Local ballot questions
Issue 6B (extending 1-mill property tax for the Garfield County Public Library District, estimated to generate nearly $2.7 million in 2028 and whatever annual amount thereafter to recruit and retain quality staff, keep libraries in good repair, provide library materials, support library programs and more; requires simple majority to pass): Yes: 66.9%; No: 33.1% (as of Tuesday night)
Issue 5C(increasing property taxes in the Roaring Fork School District by “up to $5.6 million in 2026 (for collection in 2027) and in such amounts generated annually thereafter,” to increase teacher and staff pay, retain high quality teachers and staff, strengthen academic outcomes and eliminate achievement gaps; requires simple majority to pass): Yes: 57.7%; No: 42.3% (as of midday Wednesday)
State ballot questions
(as of 11am on Wednesday)
Amendment 81 (requiring law enforcement to report certain crimes that bring legal immigration status into question to the Department of Homeland Security; needs 55% vote in favor to pass): Yes: 45%; No: 55%
Amendment 82 (enshrining constitutional right to purchase and sell natural gas; needs 55% votes in favor to pass): Yes: 46.1%; No: 53.9%
Amendment 83 (enshrining constitutional right to hunt and fish; needs 55% vote in favor to pass): Yes: 44.8%; No: 55.2%
Amendment 84 (requiring last four numbers of social security number of driver’s license or identification card number to vote; needs 55% vote in favor to pass): Yes: 36.7%; No: 63.3%
Amendment 85 (requiring ballot language to be written at no more than an eighth-grade reading level; needs 55% vote in favor to pass): Yes: 50.8%; No: 49.2%
Amendment 86 (increasing regulations around congressional redistricting; needs 55% vote in favor to pass): Yes: 46.61%; No: 53.4%
Amendment 87 (increasing state taxes for those making over $510,000 in annual taxable income for households and businesses, decreasing state taxes for lesser incomes, to benefit public schools, health care and early childcare education; needs simple majority to pass): Yes: 50.5%; No: 49.5%
Proposition NN (increasing state investment in public education to improve teacher pay, lower class size, improve access to career and technical education; needs simple majority to pass): Yes: 55.4%; No: 44.6%
Proposition 132 (increasing felony classifications of crimes related to fentanyl and certain synthetic opioids; needs simple majority to pass): Yes: 52.7%; No: 47.3%
Proposition 133 (increasing the penalty for human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude to life in prison without parole; needs simple majority to pass): Yes: 61.8%; No: 38.2%
Proposition 134 (restricting participation in K-12 and collegiate sports based on a participant’s sex and certain aspects of one’s reproductive system; needs simple majority to pass): Yes: 52.4%; No: 47.6%
Proposition 135 (prohibiting surgery on a minor to modify biological sex characteristics; needs simple majority to pass): Yes: 51.9%; No: 48.1%
Proposition 136 (“capping the state income tax rate at 4.4% of federal taxable income”; needs simple majority to pass): Yes: 47.3%; No: 52.7%
Proposition 137 (increasing funding from state sales tax on sporting goods for land and water conservation to “conserve and protect Colorado’s water, land and forests, prevent wildfires, support outdoor recreation training and activities”; needs simple majority to pass): Yes: 50.3%; No: 49.7%