The 2024 Colorado Coordinated Election will be held on Nov. 4, and voters in District 5 of El Paso County will vote on two state-wide propositions and between two candidates for El Paso County Commissioner in District 5.
Students can vote in-person or via mail-in ballots, which were all mailed to registered voters by Oct. 17 according to KOAA News. Students can submit ballots to the drop box located in front of University Center. Students will also be able to vote in-person on campus, but the details have yet to be announced.
Ballet matters include Proposition LL, Proposition MM, and county commissioners: Lauren Nelson or Vickie Tonkins.
Proposition LL
In the 2022 General Election, voters passed Proposition FF which created the Healthy Schools Meals for All program by limiting state income tax deductions for those who earned $300,000 or more in federal adjusted gross income. The tax increases generated about $12 million more than originally anticipated, according to Colorado Public Radio (CPR).
Voters will decide whether Colorado is allowed to keep the extra money to further fund the program.
A vote “yes” means that Colorado will keep the extra tax revenue for the program and maintain current taxes.
A vote “no” means that the extra revenue will be refunded to the households earning $300,000 or more and lower the taxes paid by those households, according to the 2025 State Ballot Information Booklet.
Proposition MM
This proposition is also related to the Healthy Schools Meals for All program. The program has three components: free meals, fund grants to purchase locally grown food and increase wages for cafeteria workers; however, only free meals have been implemented.
According to CPR, funding fell short because more students participated than projected and food costs have risen.
Voters will decide whether to increase state income taxes for households earning $300,000 or more annually to fully fund the Healthy Schools Meals for All program with an additional $95 million.
A vote “yes” would increase taxes by $95 million annually, and any additional revenue generated would be allocated toward funding SNAP, a supplemental nutrition assistance program that provides food benefits to low-income families.
A vote “no” would result in no state income tax change for households earning $300,000 or more, according to the 2025 State Ballot Information Booklet.
County Commissioners
The District 5 County Commissioner sits on the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) with the county commissioners for districts one to four. The BoCC is an administrative policy-making body that exists as a political subdivision of state government.
The District 5 Commissioner is responsible for representing the interests of District 5 residents. In the upcoming election, Republican Lauren Nelson and Republican Vickie Tonkins are running for the position. Only Republicans and unaffiliated voters will be able to vote.
This will be a vacancy election following the former District 5 County Commissioner
Cami Bremer’s resignation on June 10, according to KOAA News. In the interim, Nelson was appointed by the El Paso County Republican Party to fill the position since Bremer was also a Republican.
Whoever is elected will hold the position through the end of Bremer’s elected term in 2026.
Nelson has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science and served on the Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education from 2021-2025, according to the District 5 Commissioner summary.
When asked what issue she would prioritize if elected by Studio 809 Podcasts, Nelson said she would ensure tax revenue is being used appropriately.
“A priority for me is making sure that when we are asking our citizens to pay their taxes, that that money is spent in a way that is respectful and responsible in providing for our community well,” she said.
Tonkins has a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and Leadership and a Masters of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision, according to her Linkedin. She also served as the GOP Chair for three terms in El Paso County.
When asked the same question by Studio 809 Podcasts, Tonkins emphasized the importance of regulating the budget in light of increasing taxes despite the population also increasing. “Let’s look at that budget and see where we can trim the fat,” she said.
Photo from Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash.