Park County voters have once again said "No" to increased taxes. The 2% sales tax increase failed with a vote of 1,656 in favor to 2,974 opposed. And the county government will not be allowed to bypass TABOR taxpayer protections by allowing significant revenues to be exempted from the restrictions. The issue lost by a significant margin.

In addition to voting down the two county-wide tax issues, Park County citizens again voted to keep term limits for County Commissioners.

In a late night at the Clerk's office, totals were not available until well after midnight. The first mail-in ballot election went generally well until the final day, according to County Clerk and Recorder Debra Green. The problems arose when hundreds of ballots arrived the afternoon and evening of election day.

Some ballots arrived unsigned or with an unidentified signature. Those voters will receive letters from the Clerk's office asking them to come to the office to verify their ballots. Those few ballots will not be included in the preliminary vote count, but will be included in the final tally if the voters solve the issue by November 9, 2005.

For questions about mail-in ballots, contact the Park County Clerk and Recorder's office at (719) 836-4223.