More than 3,600 people mailed in ballots or showed up in person to vote in Tuesday’s 2020 Primary Election at the Moffat County Courthouse, marking a 38 percent turnout of registered voters.

In Tuesday’s primary, Moffat County residents elected Melody Villard as their new District 2 County Commissioner, casting 1,761 votes (57.4 percent) out of 3,068 to help Villard edge Chuck Grobe, a former County Commissioner from 2013-2017. Grobe received 1,307 votes (42.6 percent).

Villard will replace current District 2 County Commissioner Ray Beck, who decided to not run for reelection.

In District 1, Tony Bohrer – who was running unopposed after incumbent District 1 County Commissioner Don Cook didn’t receive enough delegate votes in March to stay on the ballot – received 2,676 votes, locking up his spot on the Board of County Commissioners.

Aside from the two local races, Moffat County residents helped lead Silt resident and Rifle business owner Lauren Boebert to a resounding win within the county in the Congressional District 3 Republican race. Boebert received 1,808 votes locally, edging Rep. Scott Tipton, who received 1,259 votes. Of the 3,067 votes cast in the Congressional District 3 race, Boebert’s 1,808 votes equaled 59 percent, while Tipton’s 1,259 votes equaled 41 percent. At the time of press, Boebert led Tipton 54.73 percent to 45.27 percent in District 3, which covers 52,000 square miles.

In the Congressional District 3 Democratic race, Diane Mitsch Bush received 336 votes, while James Iacino received 169 votes. Of the 505 Democratic votes in the Congressional District 3 race in Moffat County, Mitsch Bush claimed 66.5 percent, while Iacino claimed 33.5 percent. In District 3 as a whole, Mitsch Bush led Iacino 61.34 percent to 38.66 percent at the time of press, which sets up a Boebert vs. Mitsch Bush race for Congressional District 3 in November.

In the US Senate race, incumbent Cory Gardner received 2,782 votes in Moffat County running unopposed in the Republican Party, while in the Democratic Party race, John Hickenlooper edged Andrew Romanoff locally, receiving 322 votes (58.6 percent) to Romanoff’s 227 (41.4 percent). In the state, Hickenlooper led Romanoff at the time of press, 59.96 percent to 40.04 percent.

The closest race of the night was in Senate District 8, where Bob Rankin edged Republican challenger Debra Irvine in Moffat County. Rankin received 1,561 votes (52.1 percent) to Irvine’s 1,433 (47.8 percent). Overall in District 8, Rankin led Irvine in the Republican race at the time of press, 54.54 percent to 45.46 percent.

In the Democratic race for Senate District 8, Karl Hanlon edged Arn Menconi 274-195. Hanlon’s 274 votes in Moffat County equaled 58.4 percent of the 469 votes. Menconi received 41.5 percent of the votes. Overall in District 8, Hanlon led Menconi at the time of press, holding 56.99 percent of the votes in District 8 to Menconi’s 43.01.

Elsewhere, State Representative District 57 incumbent Perry Will received 2,455 votes in Moffat County running unopposed, while Joyce Rankin received 2,465 Republican votes in the Board of Education race. Mayling Simpson received 418 votes in the Democratic Board of Education race while running unopposed.

This is a developing story. The Craig Press will provide more information as it becomes available.

jcarney@craigdailypress.com