The town of Dillon released the official results from its April 7 municipal election. The results were finalized April 17 after accounting for uniformed and overseas citizen absentee votes and ballot signatures that needed verification. No results changed from the unofficial results.

Joshua Samuel won the mayoral race with 206 of 311 votes (66%) and will serve a four-year term. The three candidates who won Town Council seats — Shannon White, Linda Oliver and Benedict Raitano — will also serve four-year terms. White earned 218 votes, Oliver received 192 votes and Raitano got 184 votes.

Dillon proposed seven ballot questions to voters, and all but one passed. Ballot question A received 180 “yes” votes (58%), B received 207 (67%), C received 176 (59%), D received 164 (55%), E received 156 (53%) and F, the only question to fail, received 122 “yes” votes (41%).

Four of the questions, C through F, asked voters about amending the charter to allow the council to complete different actions via resolution rather than ordinance. Ballot Question G had to do with updating town charter language to align with state statute. Ballot questions A and B deal with Town Council meeting scheduling and where official notices are posted. Failed Ballot Question F would have allowed acts that place direct burdens upon or direct limitations on the use of private property to be done by resolution.

Out of 708 registered voters, 324 casted ballots.

Shannon White, Linda Oliver and Benedict Raitano won the race for three available Dillon Town Council seats Tuesday, April 7, while Joshua Samuel won the mayoral seat, according to unofficial results.

The final results from the town clerk show White, Oliver and Raitano won the Town Council seats with 217, 191 and 183 votes, respectively. Samuel defeated the one other mayoral candidate, Renee Imamura, by a vote of 205 to 105. The two other Town Council candidates, Ariel Strickler and Oliver Luck, came in fourth and fifth in that race with 142 and 136 votes, respectively. Out of 708 registered voters, 323 ballots were submitted.

Official results will become available April 17, after special ballots like those for overseas military members that were postmarked by April 7 have been received and counted.

All seats up for election have four-year terms, and three of the candidates were incumbent to the council. Samuel has served as mayor pro-tem for a year while Oliver and Luck have held council seats for about one and two years, respectively.

The races for mayor and council seats in Dillon have revolved around a few issues, including redevelopment of the town core. Dillon has looked to redevelop the area within and around La Bonte Street, Buffalo Street and Lake Dillon Drive for years, with a prior council’s support for one developer’s proposals causing controversy and leading to recall and referendum elections.

White and Oliver were petitioners for the 2025 recall election, which removed Imamura and two other council members, replacing them with Oliver, Samuel and council member Barbara Richard. Richard and Samuel both supported the recall effort.

Here’s a recap of each candidate’s platform while campaigning.

Imamura mentioned “thoughtful” redevelopment bolstering Dillon’s year-round economy as one of her priorities, as well as adding housing for the workforce, young families and longtime residents. The 20-year Dillon resident also wrote that the town needs “leadership that is both transparent and decisive.”

Samuel pointed to his experience as mayor pro tem as having prepared him to be mayor. He emphasized governmental transparency, “responsible” town core development, housing affordability and the protection of town assets, which he wrote include the mountain views, marina and amphitheater.

White’s priorities also included responsible growth and transparency, writing about wanting to rebuild “transparency and trust” in the Dillon government leadership in her candidate bio. She wrote in her column that her other priority is building a “strong year-round community” through things like supporting current local businesses and attracting new ones.

Strickler wrote in her bio that the “energy of the town” feels like it has “slowed” and she wants to help it thrive through development, small business support and intentional planning. She discussed being a younger candidate in her column, saying her youth allows her to bring a “new perspective and a fresh form of leadership” to the council.

Raitano, a former Town Council member, wrote that the town needs to redevelop because it lacks space to physically grow. His column mentioned improving infrastructure, including assets like the amphitheater as well as electrical utilities. He also emphasized trust and collaboration between the public and council and a willingness to cut spending when needed.

Oliver highlighted things the council has accomplished since she joined and wrote she wants to put Dillon residents and business owners first. Her column discussed town core redevelopment taking the public’s input into account, “rebuilding trust” between the public and government and doing her due diligence. 

Luck sees sales tax revenue and settling on a plan for town core redevelopment as the council’s main challenges. While other Summit County towns’ growth has “exploded” over the years, he wrote in his column, it is now Dillon’s turn. He wrote about supporting the businesses at the Dillon Ridge Shopping Center while also focusing on the town core. 

Out of Dillon’s seven ballot questions on the April 7 ballot, six passed and one failed Tuesday night, according to unofficial results.

Ballot questions A, B, C, D, E and G passed with “Yes” vote percentages of 59%, 66%, 59%, 55%, 53% and 79%, respectively. Ballot Question F failed with a “Yes” vote percentage of 47%. The town clerk reported 323 ballots were submitted out of 708 registered voters.

Official results will become available April 17, after special ballots like those for overseas military members that were postmarked by April 7 have been received and counted.

Four of the questions, C through F, asked voters about amending the charter to allow the council to complete different actions via resolution rather than ordinance. Ballot Question G had to do with updating town charter language to align with state statute. Ballot questions A and B deal with Town Council meeting scheduling and where official notices are posted.

Ballot Question A will “remove the requirement that Town Council must meet at least twice each month” from the town charter, according to the question’s language. The change will leave the charter stating that, “The Council shall meet each month.”

A memo from town attorney Kathryn Winn explained that the Town Council has had a hard time meeting twice a month when holidays interfere with the schedule or the council lacks action items to discuss, and the change will provide flexibility in those cases.

Ballot Question B asked voters if the charter should be amended to “designate the town’s website as the official location for all postings and publications.” The charter currently has a requirement that things like meeting notices be published in a “newspaper of general circulation.”

Winn said in a February Town Council meeting that the town could still publish notices in the Summit Daily, which is the area’s newspaper of general circulation, but the charter change will mean the town will not be required to do so. She also said “most people” get information about public notices from the town website anyway. The Colorado Press Association has come out against ballot issues that remove legal notices from newspapers since there are transparency concerns regarding governments overseeing the legal requirements of posting these notices.

“At the heart of public notice law is a simple principle: Governments must inform the public through independent platforms they do not control,” according to the Colorado Press Association. “Allowing a government entity to declare its own website legally sufficient turns that safeguard upside down. It puts the fox in charge of the henhouse.”

Questions C, E and F were designed to allow appropriations, the fixing of rates charged by municipal utility systems, and acts that place direct burdens upon or direct limitations on the use of private property, respectively, to be done by resolution rather than ordinance. When approving something by ordinance, the Town Council has to have two readings of the proposal before voting, while a resolution only requires one.

Winn’s memo stated the current charter’s requirements of approving those actions by ordinance are more restrictive than state law and removing them would allow for a “more efficient and streamlined process.”

Question D will allow the approval by resolution of leases of town property that are for more than a year. Winn’s memo stated the intent of the change is to provide more flexibility. 

Town manager Nathan Johnson said at the February meeting that the change will apply to the town leasing out property for event or commercial space, and council member Barbara Richard said the issue came up in past years when Ice Castles wanted to have a five-year lease in the Dillon Town Park.

Ballot Question G combined three changes to the town charter into one question because they all have to do with aligning the charter’s language with state statute. 

The first change will move the deadline for the town to complete its audit from April 30 to June 30, which is the state law’s requirement. Winn wrote in her memo that the April 30 deadline “can be challenging for auditors to meet.”

The second and third parts have to do with the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR. The second part removes language in the charter that allowed Dillon to delay TABOR’s implementation. The language is now irrelevant because TABOR was implemented over 30 years ago.

The last part of the ballot question removes charter language that allows the Town Council to levy certain taxes without an election — something specifically prohibited by TABOR, meaning the charter language is irrelevant.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add vote totals.

Incumbents Jay Beckerman and Carol Saade, along with newcomer Emily Lutke, have all won their races for Breckenridge Town Council, according to unofficial results released Tuesday, April 7.

Beckerman received 721 votes, Saade received 620 and Lutke received 584, according to preliminary election results released by the town of Breckenridge Wednesday morning. Official results will be certified on or before Friday, April 17. 

This year, five candidates vied for three seats with four-year terms. The winners will join Mayor Kelly Owens, Dick Carleton, Marika Page and Steve Gerard on council. Todd Rankin, who was elected to council in 2022, opted not to rerun this year. 

Candidates Abbey Browne and Jason Auerbach received 407 votes and 392 votes, respectively.

Here’s a recap of each candidate’s background and platform heading into the election.

Beckerman, a restaurant operator who was first elected to council in 2022, said he plans to “prioritize smartly” over his next term, as Breckenridge enters what he called a “tighter financial era.” His campaign was rooted in promoting sustainability efforts, supporting the workforce and local businesses, and investing in programs that attempt to maintain quality of life for long-term Breckenridge residents. 

Saade, who’s been a council member for five and a half years, also led a campaign focused on remaining fiscally responsible, championing environmental stewardship and supporting Breckenridge’s long-term residents in maintaining and accessing essential services. 

“Revenue is expected to flatten, and while Breckenridge is in a healthy financial position, we must stay vigilant and prepared to adapt,” Saade wrote prior to the election. 

Saade underscored her desire to collaborate with and represent a diverse group of Breckenridge community members and said she’s especially proud of her previous work to kickstart the town’s Social Equity Advisory Committee. 

Lutke, director of base operations at Keystone Resort, ran on priorities to advocate for a balance of housing options for Breckenridge’s more permanent residents, noting her experience living in a deed-restricted home. Lutke’s campaign centered around balancing the interests of long-term residents and tourists while maintaining a strong economy. 

“At the end of the day, my priorities are rooted in why I am running: because Breckenridge raised me, supported me and shaped the life I built here,” Lutke wrote. 

Abby Browne, owner of Wood Winds Property Management, advocated for economic stability, wildfire mitigation efforts and affordable housing. 

Jason Auerbach, a financial professional, campaigned on adding a new perspective to town council as a five-year renter in Breckenridge. “We have business owners and workforce homeowners serving, and those voices matter,” Auerbach wrote about the makeup of Breckenridge town council last month. “But right now, no one on council is a renter. I am, right on Main Street.”

Frisco voters have decided the fate of four open town council seats after 12 candidates faced-off on Election Day. All results are unofficial until after certification on April 17.  

Current Mayor Pro Tem Andy Held received the most votes with 386 while fellow incumbent council members Elizabeth Skrzypczak-Adrian (335 votes) and Robyn Goldstein (317 votes) received the second and third most votes, respectively. These top-three candidates will serve four-year terms, while newcomer Thayer Hirsh (285 votes) will serve a two-year term since he received the fourth most votes.

Incumbent council member Zach Ryan was among the eight candidates who did not receive enough votes. Ryan received 227 votes while Eric Klein got 210, Durant Abernethy got 196, Mark Waldman got 179, Brian Randall got 160, Alex Beach got 133, Mary Fletcher 125 and TJ Paulus got 118.

The winners will join current council members Mayor Rick Ihnken, Martin Allen and Dan Kibbie, who are not up for reelection this year. 

Increasing housing stock, supporting the workforce, balancing tourism, ensuring fiscal responsibility and diversifying the local economy were key issues that candidates discussed and debated during the forums and election cycle. 

With a crowded field, here’s a summary of how candidates campaigned ahead of Election Day.

Held, owner of the general contractor company Textbook Builds, said his top three priorities were improving wildfire mitigation, championing workforce housing and fortifying infrastructure.  

Skrzypczak-Adrian, owner of Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters, said her top-three priorities were safeguarding strong town finances, executing on long-term planning informed by the community and funding those community-focused projects. 

Goldstein, a licensed clinical social worker at Mile High Integrated Care, said her top-three priorities were protecting the environment, supporting a diverse and resilient economy and maintaining a stable and year-round community. 

Hirsh, an entrepreneur, said his top-three priorities were coming up with smart solutions for housing, protecting schools and improving early childhood education and preserving Frisco’s soul. 

Ryan, the community engagement manager of Elevated Community Health, said his top-three priorities were supporting the year-round community, pursuing thoughtful growth and economic stability, and focusing on community engagement and representation.

Klein, a business owner and real estate professional, said his top-three priorities were bringing practical experience to the town’s growth, protecting and supporting the local economy and preserving Frisco’s character. 

Abernethy, a pediatric physician at High Country Healthcare, said his top-three priorities were increasing foot traffic in business areas, developing community resistance to environmental forces and expanding care options for those who are ill or older residents. 

Waldman, owner of Summit Mountain Rentals, said his top-three priorities were creating a community that works together, building a resilient and balanced economy and staying the course on workforce housing.  

Randall, a former tech executive, said he would represent the people who live in Frisco rear-round while promoting balanced growth in Frisco. 

Beach, a bartender and ski instructor, said his top-three priorities were creating better workforce housing, bolstering wildfire protection and protecting the community against water scarcity. 

Fletcher, a lawyer, said her top-three priorities would be to take a balanced approach to growth, use revenue to enhance quality of life and reach community and environmental goals. 

Paulus, a local business owner, said his top three priorities were investing in the local community, supporting and protecting local business and preserving Frisco’s culture. 

The Summit Daily News election page now has columns and responses to questions about key issues in Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon and Breckenridge.

Frisco candidates’ columns and Q&As were uploaded to SummitDaily.com/election Tuesday night, giving readers and voters a chance to see what their priorities are and how they responded to questions developed by Summit Daily News editor Andrew Maciejewski based on reader feedback and past reporting.

Voters will find coverage of all candidate forums, video of all forums, bios on each candidate as well as other election information by visiting SummitDaily.com/election.

The Summit School District could become one of several districts in Colorado’s High Country to build its own housing for teachers and staff, so long as its plan remains on track. 

During an Aug. 17 Summit School District Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Tony Byrd listed a district housing project as a key goal for the new school year. 

Officials have previously discussed the framework for a housing plan during a March 23 meeting, in which board members framed housing as a direct barrier to hiring and retaining staff. Currently, officials are considering building housing on four different district-owned parcels though Byrd said that also requires more conversation around future growth. 

“Any time we think about land, or facilities or housing, we have to think about: ‘Well if we build housing there do we have enough space left to build a school one day or whatever else might come up,'” he said. 

Implementing the first stages of a multi-year housing plan is a top priority for the 2023-24 school year, Byrd said, especially as issues like land-use and funding will dictate how and when a project comes to fruition. 

The issue of housing continues to prompt urgency in the district as it finds itself competing to hire and retain staff in a region stricken with a high cost of living. A 2021 Keystone Policy Center study that was cited earlier this year in the district’s housing proposal states that just 6% of the county’s housing stock is affordable to teachers. 

Teacher salaries were increased for this school year as part of a $53.8 million budget. The budget boosted starting salaries from $50,000 to $52,200, though veteran teachers will see the largest increases, with some eligible to make up to just over $112,000. 

But housing can still prove elusive even for earners of six-figure salaries, a demographic that local officials have called “the missing middle.” 

District officials may look to past housing successes of their regional peers. For example, the Roaring Fork School District, which covers Glenwood Springs, Carbondale and Basalt, partnered with Habitat for Humanity to secure 14 for-sale units for district staff. It then used $20 million from a bond (a voter-approved fund borrowing mechanism for capital projects) to build 66 rental units for staff ranging in price from $900 to $1,400 per month. 

“I need to make sure we keep moving on our decisions related to land, building up our bond in a year and related to housing,” Byrd told board members. 

While building housing is one option, officials said they’re open to exploring a range of ideas. 

“You can find housing solutions, potentially that don’t involve our land,” said board member Chris Guarino, adding that collaborations with local municipalities to use town-owned land could be one possibility.