Routt County voters are deciding on a slate of local races and ballot measures Tuesday, ranging from city council and school board seats to a lodging tax question and the formation of a Regional Transportation Authority.

As of Monday at approximately 11:30 a.m., 5,286 ballots had been received. Of those, 4,344 had been accepted, according to Routt County Clerk and Recorder Jenny Thomas. Sixty-six had been rejected for a missing or discrepant signature, while 876 remained in-process. 

There are 20,417 active voters in Routt County — “a living, breathing number,” said Thomas — but the number does not include confidential voters. 

“A confidential voter is anyone who is pre-registered under the age of 18 or someone whose information is hidden from the public due to concerns about their safety,” said Thomas.

Unregistered voters who have 22 days of residency within the state of Colorado can register to vote as late as Election Day itself, she added.

The Routt County Democrats and Routt County Republicans each provided a statement to the newspaper on Monday.

“Team Routt County Democrats encourage voters to think global, act local and vote,” said Routt County Democrats Chair Catherine Carson. “Local elections are critical to our democracy and every voter’s voice and vote are important!”

“Nonpartisan elections in odd number years do not include a transparent, inclusive caucus or primary opportunity; thereby, the Routt County Democrats do not endorse candidates in respective nonpartisan elections,” added Carson. “Vote in 2025 and get excited for Team Dems 2026 caucus, primary and election opportunities — together we can and will make a difference!”

Routt County Republicans Vice-Chair Lisa Rosintoski said the county’s Republican party supports “candidates and issues that aim to restore the American dream through economic growth, protecting constitutional freedoms, parental rights and ensuring election integrity.”

“In general, what we have seen happen in Routt County, and the city, is the burden of taxes and fees promoting budgets that spend tax dollars on discretionary items before fully funding basic government services, making Routt County unaffordable,” added Rosintoski.

“What we have experienced in Routt County is ‘ask for the money’ then we will work on the plan,” she said. “There has been no public engagement to show the fiscal responsibility and need prior to asking for more taxes and fees.”

Ballot info for voters

The Steamboat voter service and polling center (Routt County Public Health & Human Services Community Room, 135 6th St., Steamboat Springs) opened Oct. 27 and will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Additionally, ballots can be returned at any of the following locations until 7 p.m. on Election Day:

• Hayden Town Hall — 178 W. Jefferson Ave.
• Oak Creek Town Hall — 129 Nancy Crawford Blvd.
• Yampa Town Hall — 101 Main St.
• Clark Store — 54175 Routt County Road 129
• Routt County Clerk and Recorder’s Office — 522 Lincoln Ave., Suite 21

Two 24-hour drop boxes are also available — one outside the Combined Law Enforcement Facility building at 2025 Shield Drive and another behind the courthouse at 522 Lincoln Ave. Both are under video surveillance. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

“Watch your ‘vote for’ totals on the various races,” said Thomas. “Some might be a vote for one or a vote for two, etc. Make sure you are selecting the correct number of candidates for each race.”

Voters are reminded to sign the return envelope, not the ballot itself, and only their own envelope. Anyone whose ballot signature is missing or doesn’t match will be contacted and may correct it within eight days after the election. Ballots not cured in time will be referred for investigation.

Thomas also reminds in-person voters to bring acceptable identification, such as a driver’s license or U.S. passport. A list of accepted identifications can be found at tinyurl.com/2r7aw7r7.

A link to election results will be posted on the Routt County elections page shortly after polls close at 7 p.m. Nov. 4, with an update released at 9 p.m. and another before the end of the night. The link will not go live until 7 p.m., said Thomas.

Results will remain unofficial until auditing and canvassing are complete nine days after the election, when the final tally will be certified.

More election details, including sample ballots and voter instructions, are available inside the ballot envelope and on the Routt County elections page at co.routt.co.us/221/Elections.

Ballot measures 

• Ballot measure 1A: Formation of the Yampa Valley Regional Transportation Authority (voters in Steamboat Springs, Hayden, Oak Creek, Yampa, Craig and unincorporated Routt County) 
• Routt County ballot measure 1B: 6% lodging excise tax (voters in Oak Creek, Yampa and unincorporated Routt County)
• Ballot measure 5A: South Routt School District tax extension (voters within the South Routt School District)
• Ballot measure 6A: South Routt Medical District tax increase (voters within the South Routt Medical District)
• Colorado Mountain College ballot measure 7C: Waiving of 5.25% property tax limit (voters in the local college district)

Steamboat Springs City Council candidates

City Council District 1:
• Kelly Phillips
• Gail Garey

City Council District 2:
• Steve Muntean (unopposed)

City Council District 3:
• David Box
• John Agosta

City Council At-Large seat*:
• Robbie Shine
• Loryn Duke
• Joella West
• David Barnes

*Three candidates — Kim Haggarty, Blythe Casner, Walter Magill — have dropped out of the race for the at-large city council seat to endorse David Barnes. While they have ended their campaigns, their names still appear on the ballot. 

Steamboat Springs School District Board of Education candidates
• Lauren Rennolds
• AJ Summers
• Kim Lemmer
• Jane Toothaker