Ninety-two Republican delegates Chris Baer representing the 12 county precincts met in Fraser on March 20 to designate candidates for County Commissioner Districts 1 and 2 for the upcoming primary ballot.
Of 90 votes, Chas McConnell won 36 votes which was 40% of votes. Richard Cimino received 29 votes which was 32%, and Scott Berger received 25 votes or 27% of the vote. At this time, Berger did not receive enough percentage of delegate votes to be on the ballot, but he can petition to be on the ballot for the primary election in June.
For District 2, 92 votes were cast. Tom Weydert received 59 votes which is Republican County Assembly results 64%, current commissioner Merrit Linke received 23 votes or 25%, and Chris Ruske received 10 votes which is 10%.
Of the three candidates that did not receive 30% of the delegate vote to qualify to be on the primary ballot, only Linke has announced he will be petitioning to be on the ballot and must get 430 verifiable signatures by April 4.
In other business, according to Grand County Republican Chair Carl Wood, the Republicans ratified 17 delegates to the upcoming State Convention. The group also passed resolutions calling for the party to move to a March primary for presidential nominations, rather than the current caucus process. This action will take both State and National party action to become effective. Those assembled also changed and enlarged the Vacancy Committee to include the entire County Central Committee, thereby representing the entire county, should a vacancy occur in the commissioners position in the future. They also resolved to encourage all Republicans to support the Second Amendment as an individual right. This resolution was approved unanimously by voice acclamation.
