craigdailypress.com

Photo by Michelle Balleck

Best friends Jeremiah Garcia, 9, from left, and Ricky Southard, 10, serve up juice to their neighbors, brothers Indy Byrnes, 8, and John Byrnes, 10, Monday afternoon on 12th Street. Garcia and Southard sold lemonade and juice in the 95-degree temperatures near their houses to raise money so they could go to the pool.

Dinosaur, Colorado — Oil field and pipeline workers in the western part of the county, as well as residents of Dinosaur, might be casting ballots at a new location this fall.

The official voting center in Dinosaur might become the town's library by the November elections if a recent proposal comes to reality.

High-speed Internet access is one reason the Dinosaur Branch of the Moffat County Libraries is attractive as a voting center for the western most town in the county.

Currently, residents of Dinosaur vote at the town's city hall.

Since switching to voting centers in 2006, which allow any county citizen to vote at any center, the need to check a voter's registration has become vital to the election process.

"People can vote anywhere in the county once we confirm they're a registered voter using the Internet," county election official Lila Herod said. "People should know the voting machines are not hooked up to the Internet. This is only a way to check voter registrations."

Voters registered in Moffat County can fill out ballots at the Dinosaur and Hamilton voting centers, as well as the Craig location in the Centennial Mall.

Library director Donna Watkins said the Dinosaur branch is happy to serve the citizens on Election Day.

"We always wanted the facility to be a multi-use building for the town of Dinosaur," she said. "We've got ample parking and high-speed Internet access. The library is also located on (Moffat County School District) property."

Some funding may be available to bring the Dinosaur Library into compliance with handicapped requirements for voting centers prior to the November elections, Herod said.

Dan Olsen can be reached at 824-7031, ext.207, or dolsen@craigdailypress.com