Pitkin County releases sample ballot for voters

Pitkin County voters can now get a first look at November’s ballot, which will include federal, state and local races along with a host of tax measures.

This year’s sample ballot is one of the longest local officials have ever seen.

“This is the first time we’ve had to go to two sheets on the ballot,” Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder Ingrid Grueter said. In light of this, the county is reminding voters to vote on the entire four pages of the double-sided ballot. 

Pitkin County voters will, however, see slightly different ballots on Election Day, depending on where in the county they live — Grueter confirmed there will be a total of 27 different ballot styles. 

Countywide, voters will choose between Rob Ittner and John Doyle for Pitkin County Commissioner District 1. In District 2, incumbent Ted Mahon is running against Emily Kolbe. Clerk Ingrid Grueter, Assessor Deborah Bamesberger and Sheriff Michael Buglione are all running unopposed for the positions they currently hold. 

The sample ballot also features seven local tax measures. 

One of these is Ballot Issue 1A, which asks Pitkin County voters to approve a $5.27 million annual tax increase to support the Healthy Community Fund. If passed, the measure would establish a 25-year mill levy that would rise and fall with property valuations. The money would continue to fund health and human services and community nonprofits.

Snowmass will have an especially long ballot, with a five-way race for two town council seats. The candidates include incumbents Britta Gustafson and Susan Marolt, along with newcomers Thea Khan-Farooqi, Katie McKirahan and Brian McNellis. 

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Snowmass voters will also decide the fate of the Ziegler Reservoir expansion, as the Water and Sanitation District looks for approval on up to $15 million in debt to fund the project. The Snowmass-WIldcat Fire Protection District is proposing a new sales tax to support wildfire mitigation efforts.

In Aspen, voters are being asked to approve the city taking on up to $100 million in debt in order to expand and improve its water treatment facility. In Basalt, residents will vote on a 0.5% sales tax increase intended to maintain public services facilities.  

The Roaring Fork School District is also seeking a property tax increase of up to $5.6 million in 2026, to be collected in 2027, with the goal of recruiting and retaining high quality staff and improving academic outcomes. 

The full ballot can be viewed at pitkinvotes.com/2026-sample-ballot. 

With the sample ballot now available to the public, voters have until noon Friday to submit arguments for and against the seven local tax measures. These comments will be included in the official Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, also known as a TABOR notice, according to a news release issued by the county on Monday. The notice will be mailed to voters no later than Friday, Oct. 2, as is required by the Colorado Constitution. 

The release adds that comments must include a signature and an address where the signer is registered to vote. They should be emailed to the designated election officials for each district, who can be reached at the following emails: 

• Pitkin County, Jeanette Jones Jeanette: Jones@pitkincounty.com 
• City of Aspen, Nicole Henning: nicole.henning@cityofaspen.com
• Town of Basalt, Pam Schilling: pams@basalt.net 
• Roaring Fork School District, Jonathan Landon: jlandon@rfschools.com
• Snowmass Water and Sanitation District, Kit Hamby:  KHamby@swsd.org
• Snowmass Wildcat Fire Protection District, Jennifer Thompson: jthompson@roaringforkfire.org
• Basalt & Rural Fire Protection District, Scott Thompson: sthompson@roaringforkfire.org

As Election Day approaches, Grueter is encouraging voters to drop their ballots in drop boxes rather than in the mail.

“You can’t guarantee,” she said, “if you put it in the mail, that it’s going to get back here by 7 p.m. on Election Day.”