Snowmass post office to close days before election

The Snowmass Village Post Office will be closed for five to seven days beginning on Oct. 24 — 11 days before the Nov. 4 election — which officials worry could make it harder for Snowmass residents to vote. 

The post office reportedly put out notices in their Snowmass location to notify residents of the closure. Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder Ingrid Grueter said she was told by a state post office representative that the post office is closing to allow for an asbestos remediation but worries the closure could disrupt voting. 

“We try to do everything we can to make it easier for people to vote, and this is going to of course make it more difficult — or potentially make it more difficult,” Grueter said.

In her 11 years working for the Clerk and Recorder’s office and her nearly four years as the Clerk and Recorder, she said she has never heard of a post office closing in the days leading up to the election.

Though ballots are supposed to arrive by mail to residents between Oct. 15-17, she said historically ballots can arrive late. 

“It has historically taken a bit of time for ballots to get into boxes and people to pick up their mail,” she said.

She reminds residents that, if they are having trouble getting their ballot, they can either get a replacement ballot at Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder’s office at 530 E. Main St. or vote in-person at the Pitkin County administration building, located at the same address. In-person voting begins Oct. 27 and goes through Election Day, Nov. 4. 

Snowmass residents can drop ballots in the voting drop boxes instead of mailing them in, Grueter added. Snowmass’ drop box is located at Town Hall, 130 Kearns Rd. There is also a drop box located at Basalt Town Hall, 101 Midland Ave., and at the Pitkin County Administration Building, 530 E. Main St.

Grueter said the state post office representative told her they have a contingency plan during the Snowmass Post Office closure, which would involve moving Snowmass mailboxes to the Aspen Post Office. 

Snowmass Town Clerk Megan Boucher said the employees of the Snowmass Post Office indicated to her that the closure, which she was told was “some kind of a remodel situation,” had been delayed from a previous date and that they had tried to get it done earlier.

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale can be reached at 970-429-9152 or email him at sstark-ragsdale@aspentimes.com.