Voters deserve answers on ballot delays

I am writing to request a public explanation from Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jackie Harmon and Glenwood Springs Postmaster Adele L. Lujan concerning what appears to have been a significant delay in the delivery of mail ballots during the 2026 primary election.

According to the Garfield County election calendar, ballots were mailed on June 9, 2026. At approximately 8 a.m. that day, I received a text message confirming that my ballot had been mailed from the Garfield County Courthouse.

Within approximately two days, Republican voters on Bennett Avenue reportedly received their ballots. However, Democratic voters on the same street did not. I live on Bennett Avenue, only four blocks from the Courthouse, and did not receive my ballot.

By June 17, more than a week after ballots were reportedly mailed, my ballot still had not arrived. Concerned about preserving my right to vote, I requested a replacement ballot.

On June 22, Democratic ballots finally began arriving on Bennett Avenue. After receiving my ballot, I walked it to the Courthouse and voted. While there, I observed numerous voters seeking assistance because they had not received ballots at all.

I am not alleging fraud, misconduct, or intentional wrongdoing. I do not know whether the problem originated with the Clerk and Recorder’s Office, the United States Postal Service, or somewhere else in the delivery process. I do not know whether this was an isolated incident or a broader problem. I do not know why Republican voters on my street received ballots while Democratic voters did not.

What I do know is that voters deserve answers.

Accordingly, I respectfully request that Clerk Harmon and Postmaster Lujan publicly explain what occurred, whether other voters were affected, and what steps will be taken to ensure timely ballot delivery in future elections.

Transparency builds public confidence. Silence does not.

Donald J. Kaufman
Glenwood Springs

Retain Wild at Cattle Creek and the Roaring Fork River

We know Harvest Roaring Fork/Harvest Village will soon return with a revised development proposal. We don’t yet know what changes will be presented, and it would be premature to judge a plan none of us has seen. What we can do now is ask an important question: What kind of valley do we want to leave for future generations?

Before approving one of the largest residential developments ever proposed in Garfield County, we should first understand the housing market we already have. Is the challenge simply a shortage of housing units, or is it a shortage of housing that local workers can afford?

Recent market information suggests the answer is more complex than a single phrase like “housing shortage.” In communities, inventory remains elevated, homes are taking longer to sell, while affordable housing remains difficult to find. Understanding both the ownership and rental markets is essential if we hope to identify solutions that truly meet the valley’s housing needs. They deserve thoughtful solutions rather than assumptions.

Good planning begins with good information. Before making decisions that will shape this valley for generations, I hope our elected officials will carefully examine the existing housing inventory, “affordable/workforce” units, the long-term rental market, approved but unbuilt developments, and the specific affordability needs throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.

The Roaring Fork Valley is more than a place to build. It is a place where wildlife still moves through open landscapes, where the river remains the heart of our communities, and where we carry a responsibility to preserve the possibility that those raised here can stay, strengthening our traditions, culture, and sense of belonging.

Whatever proposal comes before our community, I hope we measure it not only by the number of homes it creates, but by the legacy it leaves. For me, that legacy is simple: Retain Wild at Cattle Creek and the Roaring Fork River.

Rosemary Burkholder, Carbondale

Thanks to everyone who supported BikeThere!

On behalf of Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) and Garfield Clean Energy (GCE), we wanted to thank everyone who made this year’s BikeThere! event a success.

Over 400 people from Parachute to Aspen came together on June 24 and joined the BikeThere! movement, a regional celebration of Colorado Bike to Work Day.

Given the common lengthy commutes in our region, it’s not always possible for people to ride their bike to work, but many of us can still choose to bike for a trip to the grocery store, library, bike shop and more. That’s exactly what folks in Parachute/Battlement Mesa, Rifle, Silt, New Castle, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt and Aspen did this year for BikeThere!

And if you didn’t have time to participate on June 24, you can still sign up and log your walking, biking, taking the bus, and carpooling trips on Two Rivers Connect now through July 24 during the Way to Roll summer campaign. Find out more at cleanenergyeconomy.net/tworiversconnect/

A special thanks to all the station hosts who made it possible to have 18 stations from Parachute to Aspen and all the prize sponsors. Your time and involvement made sure everyone has plenty of good reasons to BikeThere!

Thanks to our partners: Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA), City of Glenwood Springs, and City of Aspen. We also want to thank our sponsors: Colorado Department of Transportation, Alpine Bank, Grand River Health, Watershed Environmental Giving Circle, and Aspen One. BikeThere! wouldn’t be successful without the help and support from so many throughout our community.

Dova Castañeda Zilly, on behalf of CLEER and GCE, Carbondale