Fewer than 800 ballots for municipal elections in Montezuma County had been returned as of Thursday morning. That’s according to County Clerk and Recorder Kim Percell. Her office will be tallying votes for the elections in Cortez, Dolores, and Mancos. In an email, Percell said about 785 ballots had been returned either by mail or in the 24-hour drop boxes available at all three municipal buildings as well as the clerk’s office. In Cortez, six candidates are running for four open seats on the city council. Percell said in Mancos, three candidates and one write-in candidate are seeking four town-board seats, and that town’s mayor is also running unopposed. Dolores Town Clerk Tammy Neely told KSJD seven candidates are competing for five openings on the Dolores board, and the incumbent mayor is running unopposed for that office. Neely said she expects a surge in ballots arriving between now and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2nd , when voting ends.
Schools in Cortez were put on “secure” status briefly Thursday morning after a report of shots fired near Por Dia Preschool on South Oak Street. Assistant Police Chief Andy Brock told KSJD by email that the incident involved a deer that was euthanized after being hit by a car.
