Voters cast their ballots Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Unofficial election results showed voter turnout in La Plata County approached 84 percent.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Lisa Morgan casts her vote with her daughter, Kassi Kuss, on Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Voters cast their ballots Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
La Plata County Election Judge Skip Page collects Kimberly Williams ballot Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Holly Hott, left, Pita Gomez, center, and Ema Bush, right, show their Republican colors on Tuesday on Camino del Rio. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Voters cast their ballots Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Voters cast their ballots Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
La Plata County Election Judges Lon Erwin, left, and Skip Page, give Elizabeth Major her “I voted” sticker after she dropped off her ballot Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
La Plata County Commissioner Julie Westendorff, who was successful in her re-election bid, waves to passing motorists on Tuesday. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
La Plata County Commissioner Julie Westendorff, left, and Dee Dee Carlson wave to passing motorists on Tuesday. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
La Plata County Election Judge Wanda Cason, right, assists first-time voter Austin Presas on Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Voters line up to vote Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Lisa Morgan casts her vote with her daughter, Kassi Kuss, on Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Lisa Morgan casts her vote with her daughter, Kassi Kuss, on Tuesday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
From the left, district attorney candidate Christian Champagne, County Commissioner Julie Westendorff and County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt look at the first results released by the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s office Tuesday evening at the Powerhouse Science Center. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
La Plata County commissioners Julie Westendorff and Gwen Lachelt look at the first results released Tuesday evening by the La Plata County Clerk and Recorders Office at the Powerhouse Science Center. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
District Attorney candidate Christian Champagne is congratulated Tuesday evening at the Powerhouse Science Center as results come in. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Surrounded by a small group of friends and supporters, Colorado House District 59 candidate Barbara McLachlan watches election results from her home. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Durango Mayor Christina Renderle, right, checks election results for the Durango-La Plata County Airport expansion and county roads, with Brad Fox, left, Chris Bettin, center, and Kristina Fox, on Tuesday night at BREW Pub & Kitchen. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Republican supporters react to election news on TV during the Republican election party on Tuesday evening at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Lyle McKnight, candidate for La Plata County commissioner in District 2, and his wife, Tonya, mingle during the Republican election party on Tuesday evening at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A full house was on hand during Tuesday evening’s Republican election party at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
La Plata County Commissioner Brad Blake, left, former Durango mayors, Doug Lyon, center, and Jasper Welch, look at election results during the Republican election party on Tuesday evening at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Kayla Patterson, candidate for commissioner in La Plata County District 3, and her husband, Acie Patterson, mingle during the Republican election party on Tuesday evening at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Republican state Rep. J. Paul Brown, looks at election results with Holly Hott, left, and Kellie Jaworsky, during the Republican election party on Tuesday evening at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Republican state Rep. J. Paul Brown and his wife, Debbie, look at election results during the Republican election party on Tuesday evening at the Durango Elks Club.
Acie Patterson, left, husband of Kayla Patterson, candidate for commissioner in La Plata County District 3, and his brother in-laws, Eric Hanson, center, and Tim Formby, pose for a picture during the during the Republican election party on Tuesday evening at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Samuel Harper, 3, and Charles Harper, 6, wave their flags during the Republican election party on Tuesday evening at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A full house was on hand during Tuesday evening’s Republican election party at the Durango Elks Club. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Unofficial election results totaled 37,592 ballots cast in La Plata County, nearing 84 percent turnout of active voters.
The highest total in the past six presidential elections was in 1992, between George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, in which 84 percent of registered voters cast their ballots. Turnout hovered around 60 percent in the subsequent two elections, climbing to 70.9 percent in 2004, 75.5 percent in 2008 and dropping to 70.9 percent in 2012.
The first round of numbers rolled out at 8 p.m. with unofficial results totaled before 10 p.m.
“I’m near tears,” La Plata County Clerk & Recorder Tiffany Parker said, pleased with the turnout. “Everything went unbelievably well today.”
Results will be certified Nov. 22.
Lynn Bartels, spokeswoman for the Colorado Secretary of State, said statewide turnout was 71.6 percent in 2008, and 70.6 percent in 2012. Both presidential election years, unaffiliated voters, which traditionally swing Colorado elections, helped the Democratic Party score victories.
Tuesday’s process hit a snag mid-afternoon when the state’s voter registration system was down, spurring Colorado Democrats to request a court-ordered injunction to extend voting hours to 9 p.m. It was denied.
The Secretary of State office reported the server functioning within 30 minutes and opposed the extension, arguing the malfunction did not bar citizens from voting.
“This outage didn’t stop anyone from voting,” Bartels posted on Twitter around 6 p.m. “We have had two weeks of voting and everyone got a ballot. We have no reports of long lines and anyone in line at 7 can still vote.”
The outage lasted 15 minutes in La Plata County, and the day otherwise ran smoothly, Parker said.
By the time polls closed at 7 p.m., only election judges and county staff remained in the clerk’s office. The last voter showed at five minutes to 7, Parker said.
Election Day voters said they weren’t procrastinators, but enthusiasts of the conventional political process.
“I had my ballot ready early, but it’s neat to come in person and cash it in,” said Jason Jeep, an unaffiliated voter who professed he is “not a Hillary fan.”
“Mail-ins are practical, but they’re not an event,” added Michael Bond after casting his ballot at the clerk’s office Tuesday morning. “Voting is a tradition, and a right you shouldn’t walk away from.”
The divisive presidential race was the driving factor for some, but unaffiliated voter Pat Dalton said he came to the polls to vote “yes” on tax increases to benefit Durango School District 9-R and Bayfield School District.
“I’m big on public education and want to increase money for local schools,” he said.
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