Those wishing to vote early in the Primary Election can do so beginning next week.

Early voting begins Monday, Aug. 2, and continues through Friday, Aug. 6, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day in the clerk’s office inside the Custer County courthouse.

Also, the last day to apply for a mail-in ballot through the clerk’s office if the ballot is to be mailed is Tuesday, Aug. 3.

The last day to apply for a mail-in ballot through the clerk’s office if the ballot is to be picked up in person is Friday, Aug. 6.

All mail-in ballots must be returned to the courthouse by 7 p.m. on Primary Election Day.

The Primary Election will be held Tuesday, Aug. 10, with the polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at each of the polling places. Precinct one voting will take place in the county courthouse; precinct two voting will be held at the Wetmore Fire Station; and precinct three voting will occur in the community building adjacent to the library in downtown Westcliffe.

In order to cast a vote in the Primary Election, voters must be affiliated with a political party. Therefore, only registered Republicans can vote on the Republican ballot; only registered Democrats can vote on the Democratic ballot; and only registered Libertarians can vote on the Libertarian ballot.

Unaffiliated voters may affiliate with one of the parties up to and including Primary Election Day.

The deadline has passed for those already affiliated who wished to change to another party affiliation.

Local candidates seeking the GOP nomination for county commissioner in district one are Dale Hoag and Allen Butler. They are seeking the seat now held by fellow Republican Carole Custer, who declined to seek a second term.

Running for county treasurer are incumbent Virginia Trujillo, Larry Luikart and Julie Trombley, all Republicans.

Seeking the Republican nomination for county sheriff are incumbent Fred Jobe and Shannon Byerly.

Republican incumbents Art Nordyke, Kit Shy and J.D. Henrich, are running unopposed for county coroner, surveyor and assessor, respectively.

The lone local candidate for county clerk on the Democratic ticket is Debbie Livengood.

Also on the Democratic primary ballot are Andrew Romanoff and incumbent Michael Bennet for U.S. Senator; incumbent John Salazar for District three U.S. Representative; John Hickenlooper for governor; incumbent Bernie Buescher for secretary of state; incumbent Cary Kennedy for state treasurer; Stan Garnett for attorney general; Melissa Hart for at-large regent of the University of Colorado; Gloria Shultz for state senate in district two; and Sandra Horrocks for district 60 state representative.

Other candidates on the Republican primary ballot are Ken Buck and Jane Norton for U.S. Senate; Scott Tipton and Bob McConnell for district three U.S. Representative; Dan Maes and Scott McInnis for governor; Scott Gessler for secretary of state; J.J. Ament and Walker Stapleton for state treasurer; John Suthers for attorney general; Steve Bosely for at- large regent of the University of Colorado; Kevin Grantham and Matt Heimrich for district two state senate; and incumbent Tom Massey for district 60 state representative.

On the Libertarian Primary Ballot Maclyn Stringer and John Finger are running for U.S. Senator; and Dan Sallis and Jaimes Brown are running for governor.

Sample Primary Election ballots appeared in last week’s issue of the Tribune.

For more information about the Primary Election, call county clerk Debbie Livengood at 783-2441.

– Nora Drenner