Special Election Voting
Salida, CO –Voters can return their ballots by mail to Salida City Hall using the return envelope provided in each ballot packet. Voters can also deliver their ballots to City Hall in the Touber Building located at 448 E. 1st Street, Salida, Colorado. Now that the election is quickly approaching, it is recommended that if you are mailing your ballot, to hand it directly to staff at the Post Office to avoid any delay in your ballot being delivered.
A ballot box is located at the east entrance of the Touber Building for ballot drop-off. Ballots can only be dropped off at the City Hall Location; they cannot be delivered to Chaffee County. Chaffee County Elections Clerk Jennifer Sylvester will monitor the lock box and assist voters with voter registration and replacement ballots. Voters can confirm receipt of their ballot by contacting Sheila Kapell at the Chaffee County Clerk’s Office 530-5606. Voters can also confirm receipt of their ballot by using the “Find My Registration” tool on the www.govotecolorado.com website.
A special election regarding a possible change to the use and allocation of existing City Sales Tax will be held on Tuesday, March 24, 2015. Ballots need to be returned by 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 to Salida City Hall at 448 E 1st Street, Suite 112, Salida, Colorado 81201.
You can register to vote up to the day of the election, so please register to vote if you have not already. You may go online to www.govotecolorado.com to register to vote or update your current voter registration. You may also register to vote or update your registration at Salida City Hall or the Chaffee County Clerks Office. Please note that this election is for Salida residents only and you will need to be a resident of Colorado for a minimum of 22 days before March 24, 2015 (resident no later than March 2, 2015) in order to vote in this election.
Background
Proponents Billy Carlisle and Rodney Farney circulated an initiative petition to submit a proposed ordinance to the City Council for consideration pursuant to C.R.S. 31-11-104(1), which would change the way the 2A funds are allocated. Article 11 of Title 31 in the Colorado Revised Statutes allows for any proposed ordinance to be submitted to the legislative body for consideration by filing written notice of the proposed ordinance with the clerk.
City Council chose not to adopt the proposed ordinance from Carlisle and Farney at their regular meeting held November 18, 2014. Council instead chose to refer the proposed ordinance to registered electors of the City of Salida at a special election to be held on March 24, 2015.
The proposed ordinance will not take effect unless a majority of the registered electors voting on the measure at the election vote in favor of the measure. An alternative ordinance was also submitted by the City Council to be considered by voters in the upcoming March 24, 2015 Special Election pursuant to 31-11-104(2).
If both measures are approved at the upcoming election, the one that receives the greatest number of affirmative votes will be adopted in all particulars as to which there is a conflict.