A rematch for Mayor of Walsenburg

Staff report
WALSENBURG- Mayor Bruce Quintana will face-off against Larry Patrick for the mayor’s seat in Walsenburg this fall. The two ran against each other two years ago. Quintana won by 31 votes. Huerfano County Administrator John Galusha took out a packet for mayor but did not turn it back in. Susan Blake also took out a packet for mayor but did not return it in time to have her name placed on the ballot. She will be a write-in candidate.
A total of 16 packets were taken out for various city races but only 11 were returned. Allesanda (Silvana) Lind will serve a four-year term from Ward 1 as no one chose to run against her. Nick Vigil of Ward 4 is also unopposed and will serve a four-year term beginning in January.
There are races in Ward 2 and Ward 3. In Ward 2, there are 3 candidates for 2 seats. Rick Jennings and Gary Sporcich, both appointed to the Walsenburg City Council, are seeking election to Ward 2 for the first time. Jennings was appointed to the seat vacated by Larry Patrick when he ran for mayor in 2009. Sporcich was appointed to take the seat of James England who resigned in late 2010. At least one of them will return to the city council. They are opposed by Paul Rivera, also seeking election for the first time. All three currently serve on the Walsenburg Planning Commission.
In Ward 3, there are three candidates vying for one seat. Dave Mockmore is the incumbent seeking re-election. He is opposed by former city councilman James Baca and by Anna Marie Estrada, seeking office for the first time.
Wanda Britt will automatically win election to the City Clerk’s position. She was appointed last year when former city clerk Lori Sheldon resigned. No one else has sought the post.
No one is running for City Treasurer, a post currently held by Jacque Sikes. Her term ends in January, so she or another interested individual could be appointed to the seat next year.
This election will be by mail-in ballot only. Voters can mail their ballot or drop it off to the Huerfano County Clerk’s Office before 7 pm on Tues. Nov. 1. Mail-in ballots will be sent to registered voters around Oct. 11. Persons who want to vote but are not registered have until Oct. 3 to register. Also, if voters have changed addresses or changed names, they must update voting records by Oct. 3.
There will be races for the RE-1 school district on the ballot. Candidates have until this Friday to turn in packets. Voters will also decide whether to increase terms of county commissioners from two to three terms. The voters’ decision on this issue will determine whether current Huerfano County Commissioners Scott King & Roger Cain can run for another term next year. They are currently term limited, having been elected to two terms.