Grand County canvassers certify Nov. 4 special election; Proposition 13 approved

The Grand County Board of Canvassers voted on Nov. 14, 2025, to certify the results of the Nov. 4, 2025 local special election, confirming that Proposition 13 was approved by voters. The board also approved minutes from July 3 and Nov. 18, 2024. The certification motion passed 6 in favor with one absence (Commissioner McGahn).

Gabe Wojtek, the elections official who presented the canvass report, said the canvass package includes standardized statewide statistics and a county-prepared comparison of turnout across elections. Wojtek told the board that turnout in unincorporated county precincts was about 53 percent and that overall participation was lower than in a general or presidential year. "We are certifying today the results of the local special election, which consisted of Proposition 13 only," Wojtek said.

Wojtek reported a hand-count audit of 240 ballots was compared with the county's election-management software results and matched exactly. "The results of that batch of ballots that our software produced matched exactly the results of the hand count," he said, calling it "a really great, clean election." He also described increased use of ballot dropboxes and a new digital pull pad (about 159 in-person voters processed on it), and said requiring the last four digits of an ID this election reduced the number of ballots needing cure.

Emily Valentine, elections coordinator, answered commissioners' questions about how in-person votes appear in the canvass statistics and confirmed the pull-pad totals are included in the report. She and Wojtek discussed the statutory requirement now to include an anonymized cast-vote record (CAS) in the canvass documents.

Commissioner McCurdy made the motion to certify, which Commissioner Adler seconded. The chair called the vote; the board recorded the motion passed with six votes in favor and one absence. The meeting adjourned shortly afterward.

Votes at a glance: approve minutes (July 3, 2024; Nov. 18, 2024) ' Motion: approve minutes; Mover: Commissioner McCurdy; Second: Commissioner Martinez; Outcome: approved, 6 in favor, 1 absent (McGahn). Certify Nov. 4, 2025 special election ' Motion: certify results as presented (Proposition 13 approved); Mover: Commissioner McCurdy; Second: Commissioner Adler; Outcome: approved, 6 in favor, 1 absent (McGahn).

Next steps: The board completed the canvass and adjourned; no further action on Proposition 13 was taken at this meeting.