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Read all stories related to Election Day results

Precinct by precinct breakdown of how Routt County voted

Steamboat Springs — What a difference a year makes.

Voters in Steamboat Springs saw little delays at polling locations Tuesday, breezing through the ballot process in a distinct contrast from Election Day a year ago.

In 2006, citizens waited in line for up to four hours - or left in frustration without voting at all - as mechanical malfunctions, crowded vote centers and a lengthy ballot created delays that ultimately resulted in the Colorado Secretary of State's Office placing Routt County on the state's Election Watch List.

But frustration and impatience were only a memory Tuesday.

"It's a whole lot smoother than last time around," said Steamboat Springs resident Darin Bennett, who stopped in at Centennial Hall on 10th Street to cast a ballot at about 5:30 p.m. Bennett picked up his "My Vote Counted" sticker and walked out the door a few minutes later.

"Last year, it was pretty bad," said Steamboat resident Steve Dodson, who voted shortly after Bennett. "This was 10 minutes : this is how it ought to be."

Officials at the LIFT-UP of Routt County building and the Routt County Courthouse Annex also cited no hitches in Election Day voting.

"It's been steady, steady, steady," election judge Judy Tremaine said at the Courthouse Annex. "We haven't had 90 seconds without someone coming in here."

Election judge Catherine Carson said 202 people had voted at Centennial Hall - the polling location for precincts 11 and 12 - as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Of the 1,897 total registered voters in the two precincts, Carson said, 603 cast early or absentee ballots.

More than 4,000 Routt County residents voted early or by absentee ballots this year. A citizens committee formed to review local election procedures recommended more early voting hours, a policy enacted by Routt County Clerk and Recorder Kay Weinland.

At about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Weinland sat in the county's temporary elections office, across Sixth Street and down the alley from the Courthouse Annex.

Weinland reviewed early ballots with two volunteer election judges and a technician from Hart InterCivic, which manufactures electronic voting machines used in Routt County.

The technician was on hand in Steamboat all day Tuesday, in case of troubleshooting needs - also a difference from last year. In 2006, one Hart InterCivic technician provided service for three counties in Northwest Colorado and was not present to address technical difficulties that added to delays at the polls.

Carson said the real test for Routt County will be next year, when the 2008 presidential election is expected to bring out large numbers of voters.

Upgrades such as more electronic voting machines - which Routt County allocated funds for this year, but did not receive because of certification delays through the office of Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman - need to be made shortly, Carson said.

"The key thing is for Coffman to certify the machines in time for next year."

To reach Mike Lawrence, call 871-4233 or e-mail mlawrence@steamboatpilot.com