Issues in the 2023 election still aren’t decided, but three Democratic candidates for the District 2 seat on the Eagle County Board of Commissioners are already preparing for a 2024 primary.
Those candidates — Geoff Grimmer of Eagle, Sarah Smith Hymes of Avon and Tom Boyd of Edwards — over the summer all filed the necessary paperwork to launch their campaigns.
Two of the three seats on the Eagle County Board of Commissioners will be contested in 2024. The District 2 seat, currently held by Kathy Chandler-Henry, and the District 1 seat, currently held by Commissioner Matt Scherr, go to the voters. The District 3 seat, currently held by Jeanne McQueeney, will be contested in 2026.
The three Democrats are the only declared candidates so far for either the District 2 or District 1 seats. District 1 Commissioner Matt Scherr has said he intends to run for reelection, but that candidacy isn’t yet official.
The District 2 seat is currently held by Democrat Kathy Chandler-Henry of Eagle. Chandler-Henry was appointed to her seat in 2013 to replace then-Commissioner Jon Stavney, who was reelected to that seat in 2012, but who resigned from that office to accept the Eagle Town Manager’s job. Chandler-Henry ran in 2014 to complete Stavney’s term, then successfully ran for reelection in 2016 and 2020.
Thanks to a 2021 ballot issue that enabled the commissioners to seek a third term in office, Chandler-Henry could have run again in 2024, but earlier this year announced she’s stepping down at the end of her current term.
That announcement led to the current three-way race among Democrats. The primary election is June 25, 2024, to select one of those three candidates.
Fundraising so far has been fairly limited. Here’s a look at the candidates’ campaign finance forms filed Nov. 1 with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office.
Sara Smith Hymes
Given the early state of the race, Smith Hymes has raised and spent the least so far.
Documents filed Nov. 1 show her campaign has raised $1,250 and spent $1,000. Counting a $200 loan to the campaign, Smith Hymes’ current campaign chest holds $450.
That spending so far has gone only to Riff Creative of Eagle for the design of Smith Hymes’ website.
Smith Hymes has so far run a low-key campaign. Her sole contributor so far is Kristi Ferraro, a former colleague when Smith Hymes served on the Avon Town Council.
Smith Hymes is also the registered agent for her campaign.
Tom Boyd
In his Nov. 1 report, Boyd reported campaign contributions totaling $9,970 and expenses of $6,116.
Boyd’s expenses so far have gone to consultant services, office equipment and supplies, campaign signs and payments to ActBlue, a nonprofit group that works to elect Democratic candidates.
Boyd’s registered agent is Joy Harrison, who’s long been involved in the local Democratic Party.
Contributions so far have come from 38 donors, most of which range from $50 to $500. The four largest contributors — Ann Smead of Edwards, Amy Coyer of Avon and Michael Byram and Harry Frampton of Vail — have written checks of $1,000.
Geoff Grimmer
Grimmer’s Nov. 1 report shows total contributions of $11,979 and loans of $4,300. Spending so far is $9,186. Grimmer reported $7,092 on hand as of Nov. 1.
Troy Dudley, who recently retired as principal of Red Canyon High School, is the registered agent for Grimmer’s campaign.
Grimmer’s campaign spending so far includes consulting services, office equipment and supplies. Most of the consulting and professional services payments — $5,280 in all — have gone to Neature & Company of Salida.
Grimmer’s contributions have come from 40 people, several of whom are family members.
Most contributions range from $20 to $200. The biggest contributors to the campaign are $1,000 from Phil Lamb of Eagle, $2,850 from Ed Greenman of Madison, Wisconsin, $2,850 from Linda Grimmer of Madison, Wisconsin, $1,425 each from Amanda Kaiser of Madison, Wisconsin, and Kim Grimmer of Madison, Wisconsin.