Craig Daily Press

During the past 10 years, November coordinated elections — those in odd numbered years —have averaged a 31 percent voter turnout.

However, the past two Nov­ember coordinated elections — 2005 and Tuesday’s — have fared better, with an average of 40 percent turnout.

“I think (voter turnout) goes with issues,” Moffat County Clerk and Recorder Elaine Sullivan said. “It’s unpredictable.”

A total of 3,182 out of 8,047 registered Moffat County voters, or 39.5 percent, unofficially determined the outcome on the two main issues in Tuesday’s election — Referendum 1A, a mill-levy that will finance an estimated 40 percent of the construction for a new hospital, and Referendum 3A, a bond issue to build a new middle school and provide upgrades to other Moffat County School District campuses.

Moffat County residents voted in favor of both tax questions, with 57 percent of the public voting in favor of 1A, and 64 percent in favor of 3A. Fourteen people did not vote on either measure.

A driving force in election results came from early/absentee ballots, which accounted for 52 percent of votes turned in. They also accounted for most yes votes on both tax questions — 56 percent of all votes in favor of 1A and 52 percent on 3A.

Sullivan said the early/absentee ballots were higher than expected, and she again pointed to the issues as a reason.

“I think that is due to the concern of the community,” she said. “There were two issues on there that were very heartfelt, and as a community, they came out and expressed what they want.”

As to the actual running of the election, other than a “couple of issues” when voting began in the morning, the process of conducting Tuesday’s coordinated election went “very smoothly,” Sullivan said.

“Everybody knew what they were doing,” she said. “It was awesome, and that was all over the county. ... The election judges we have are amazing, and my staff is wonderful.”

No major delays for Moffat County voters were reported other than getting the “bugs worked out” in the first half hour of Election Day and power being down at the Dinosaur vote center for about an hour.

“Otherwise (the election process), went great,” Sullivan said.