The Times-Independent

Change of government: Too late to change ballot



This is a 2019 ballot for the city council primary election. The 2020 ballot will include numerous candidates and questions, including that which regards Grand County’s form of government. File photo by Carter Pape

Regardless of how a judge rules in the latest lawsuit related to the Grand County form of government saga, it is too late to change this year’s ballots, which must be finalized this week to send to overseas soldiers and citizens.

That’s according to Grand County Clerk-Auditor Quinn Hall, who oversees local elections, and Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan.

“Since the ballots are very nearly final at this point, it’s unlikely we’d be able to change anything,” Hall said of the contingency in which the judge hearing the latest lawsuit rules against the county on its decision to add form of government questions to the 2020 ballot.

Sloan said that in cases in the past where ballot questions have been struck after ballots are already finalized, the struck questions simply become moot. Voters could mark a choice on struck questions, but the choices were not tallied.

Sloan added that if Seventh Judicial District Judge Don Torgerson rules that the county must reprint ballots, it would be too late to prevent some people from receiving the originals because of certain, early mailing deadlines.