Election less than two weeks out

The November 6 election is less than two weeks away. Even though there are no county-wide elections, San Juan County is saddled with the task of administering the election. San Juan County Clerk Norman Johnson reports that the costs will total approximately $27,000.

Voters will vote on school vouchers, select councilmen in Monticello and Blanding and trustees of the service district in Bluff. The San Juan Record will have candidate and issue profiles on October 31.

Early voting began October 23 and paper ballots have been mailed to voters in six precincts. Johnson said that mailing ballots to the smallest precincts saves significantly on the cost of the election. However, the county is required to use the high-tech voting equipment in the larger precincts.

Johnson factors in programming costs, training, and the time required of election officials. He does not factor the sleepless nights worrying about administering an election in the sprawling county.