KSJD is tracking results for Tuesday's municipal elections in the City of Cortez and the Town of Dolores.
In Cortez, voters have chosen who will fill the city council’s five open seats. In Dolores, voters have chosen a mayor and three trustees, in addition to allowing marijuana sales and production, and rejecting OHV use on town roads.
Note: The City of Cortez is an underwriter of KSJD.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Updated at 9:25 p.m., April 7.
Cortez
According to preliminary results:
Cortez City Council (Three seats with four-year terms)
Rachel Medina placed first with 860 votes. She was followed by Arlina Yazzie with 707 votes and David Rainey with 653 votes.
Cortez City Council (Two seats with two-year terms)
Amy Huckins placed in fourth with 618 votes, and incumbent Sue Betts in fifth with 610 votes.
14 candidates raced for five seats. Cortez City Clerk Linda Smith said a record of 1,725 ballots were recieved for the election. View the full results here.
Dolores
According to preliminary results:
Mayor (Two-year term)
Incumbent Chad Wheelus has won reelection with about 66% of the vote, beating challenger Gerald "Jerry" Whited.
Trustees (Three seats with four-year terms)
Andy Lewis, Sheila Wheeler and incumbent Duvall “Val” Truelsen placed in the top three. Preliminary results show Truelsen ahead of Robert “Cody” Folsom, the other incumbent in the race, by eight votes.
Medical and Retail Marijuana
After years of the town extending a moratorium, Dolores voters have approved medical and retail marijuana sales with 60% supporting. Voters also supported the five other related questions on the ballot, including permitting cultivation facilities and enacting taxes on the sales.
OHV Use
Voters struck down off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on public roads in Dolores, with 72% voting against.
View the full results here, as provided by Dolores Town Clerk Tammy Neely.