New Castle and Silt will likely cancel their municipal elections this April due to a lack of candidates running for council and trustee seats.
And, had it not been for a tobacco tax question already on its ballot, the town of Carbondale would have canceled its election altogether, too.
The smaller towns in Garfield County hold their elections in April of every other even year, while Glenwood Springs and Rifle city elections are every other odd year — Glenwood in April and Rifle in September.
Carbondale proceeds
According to Carbondale Town Clerk Cathy Derby, three incumbent trustees filed to run for three open seats on the town’s Board of Trustees. Those candidates include current trustees Ben Bohmfalk, Lani Kitching and Marty Silverstein.
“I think we accomplished a lot in the first four years, but there is still more we can do,” Silverstein said.
Silverstein commended the board for its handling of controversial issues such as adopting stricter tobacco regulations.
Carbondale’s April ballot will ask residents whether they support the implementation of a $4 tax per pack of cigarettes sold, along with a 40% tax on all other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
The filing deadline for turning in nominating petitions with the necessary 25 signatures was Jan. 27.
According to Derby, no official write-in candidates had come forward by Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline, either.
Trustees serve four-year terms and earn $900 a month, according to Carbondale’s Municipal Code.
New Castle
Grady Hazelton and fellow New Castle Councilors Crystal Mariscal and Graham Riddile are the only candidates running for three town council seats up for election, according to Town Clerk Melody Harrison.
With no other questions on the town’s ballot, Harrison will ask the council at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday to cancel the election.
Candidates had until Jan. 27 to turn in nominating petitions with the necessary 15 verified signatures; only Hazelton, Mariscal and Riddile did so.
Additionally, no write-in candidates filed affidavits of intent by the Jan. 31 deadline.
“I think we have a really good team and have a lot of things going on in New Castle that we’re excited about,” Hazelton, who currently serves as mayor pro tem, said. “I think Graham and Crystal, both, are great young minds that add to the team, for sure.”
Residents do not elect the town’s mayor pro tem. Instead, the council selects one of its already elected members to serve in that capacity.
The mayor pro tem conducts council meetings and signs documents in the event of the mayor’s absence.
New Castle town councilors serve four-year terms and earn $370 per month.
Silt
The town of Silt will also cancel its April election after only four candidates filed to run for five trustee seats up for election.
According to Town Clerk Sheila McIntyre, current board members Justin Brintnall, Kyle Knott and Sam Walls turned in their nominating petitions by the Jan. 27 filing deadline.
Additionally, Trustee Andreia Poston filed an affidavit as an official write-in candidate.
Subsequently, all four candidates will be appointed to the board at either the Feb. 24 or March 9 board meetings, McIntyre said.
According to McIntyre, the town will advertise to fill the remaining vacant seat at a later date.
Silt trustees earn $400 a month and serve four-year terms.
