Restore The Balance-Delta County Branch
Restore the Balance – Delta County (RTB Delta County) is a branch of a 501(C)(4) nonprofit organization centered in Grand Junction, Colorado.
We are Democrats, Republicans, and Independents working together for the purpose of building an alternative to political violence and extremism.
RTB members have endorsed seven fundamental principles of political action and discourse, and RTB’s main activity is the evaluation of candidates for public office.
Delta County
Steering Committee
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David Blanchette
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Judy Briscoe
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Kim Childs
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Aaron Clay; Chair
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Perry Hotz
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Jim Kendrick
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Dorothy Pew
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Frank Robbins
Delta County News & Information
Local group will host event about ranked-choice voting
Thursday, October 17, 2024 5:30 pm, Yarrow Taproom
Delta, CO—Ranked-choice voting is on the Colorado ballot this year, and a Delta County group believes voters must learn about this new election method.
Colorado voters will soon decide whether to abandon party-line primaries and advance the top-four, highest-ranked candidates to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Proposition 131 proposes adopting such a system—often called ranked-choice voting or instant-runoff—for state and federal elections.
Restore the Balance – Delta County, a nonpartisan organization building “an alternative to political extremism,” will host a meeting and presentation about this initiative on October 17, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the Yarrow Taproom in Austin, Colorado.
Randy Spydell, an election-reform advocate and retired geologist, will present on different voting methods, including the differences between what Proposition 131 proposes and traditional single-choice voting.
“There are several ways to conduct an election,” said Spydell. “My goal is to leave my audience with a better understanding of how communities—whether a small town or a nation of millions—can elect their leaders.”
As voters grow increasingly dissatisfied with the traditional two-party system, ranked-choice voting and other comparable election reforms have gained popularity nationwide. Similar measures have passed in Alaska and Maine. Municipalities, such as New York City, San Francisco, and Minneapolis, have also adopted ranked-choice voting for citywide elections. Even political parties—including the Virginia Republican Party and Democratic Party affiliates in Alaska, Hawaii, and Kansas—recently used this method to select their nominees.
“Many are frustrated with their choices on the ballot,” said Aaron Clay, chairman of RTB-Delta County. “It’s only natural they are curious about alternative systems.”
RTB-Delta County regularly organizes educational events related to voting and elections. In July, the group invited representatives from the Delta County Elections Office to share how the county counts votes, certifies ballots, avoids fraud, and conducts fair and open elections.
“Our republic can only thrive when voters are well-informed,” said Clay. “Restore the Balance is committed to educating voters about how they can keep democracy alive and vibrant.”
The event is free to the public and will begin at 4:30 p.m. with a social hour, during which people can mingle, drink, and eat. The presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Contact: Aaron Clay or Jim Brown rtbdeltacounty@gmail.com
Restore the Balance rates Delta County Municipal Candidates
Mar 14, 2024
RTB-Delta County Election Task Force sent questionnaires to 34 municipal candidates running in the six municipal elections running concurrently in April. The questionnaire consisted of nine questions and addressed three primary categories: the candidates’ qualifications for office, their grasp of important issues, and their ability to abstain from partisan politics and ideology.
The task force members independently scored the candidates’ responses to each question, with 7
being the highest score. Candidates who didn’t respond to the survey did not receive a score.
The questionnaire, candidate responses, tabulations, and scoring rubric will be posted on the RTB website.
Restore the Balance assures voters of “impartial, fair, and open elections” in Delta County
Delta, CO—Concerns and anxiety about political violence, such as the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, are at an all-time high. However, Delta County residents can rest assured that democracy and civil discourse are alive and well in their community.
This message reverberated throughout Restore the Balance – Delta County’s (RTB-Delta) annual meeting on July 18 at the Orchard City Town Hall.
In front of a crowd of about 40 people, members of this nonpartisan organization presented their accomplishments and achievements for the year, including election and outreach efforts and community events.
Staff from the Delta County Elections also presented. Teri Stephenson, Delta County clerk and record, and Melinda Sanford, election clerk, shared the detailed process required to count votes and certify elections.
“Our team makes sure that our elections are conducted fairly and with integrity and transparency,” said Stephenson. “We are dedicated to making sure every eligible vote counts.”
Following the presentation, RTB-Delta recognized and honored Stephenson’s team with the inaugural “Champions of Democracy” award. Aaron Clay, the RTB-Delta chair, and Dea Jacobsen, an RTB board member, presented a plaque to Stephenson and Sanford for “their efforts to ensure impartial, fair, and open elections.”
“It’s important to recognize the people who keep our democracy safe and do a great job conducting our elections,” said Clay.
Stephenson and Sanford received a standing ovation from the audience.
The event closed out with questions, comments, and prize drawings. Clay and his fellow board members also encouraged attendees to endorse RTB’s seven principles—a pledge that promotes bipartisan decision-making and good-faith discourse and rejects political violence and extremism.
Currently, 148 Delta County residents have endorsed RTB’s principles.
“I was pleased to see so many community members not only attend our annual meeting but also engage in open dialogue about our local elections,” said Clay. “These conversations give me hope for the future of Delta County and our republic.”
RTB-Delta plans to distribute candidate questionnaires for the upcoming Delta County elections in November. More information is available on the organization’s website and Facebook page.
Restore the Balance – Delta County recognized and honored the Delta County Elections office for their efforts in conducting "impartial, fair, and open elections." Pictured (L-R): Judy Briscoe, Teri Stephenson, Melinda Sandford, and Aaron Clay.
Delta County Clerk and Recorder Teri Stephenson (left) presents at the RTB-Delta annual meeting, sharing the process for counting votes and certifying local elections in Delta County.
Restore the Balance rates
Delta County School Board
Candidates
Oct 12, 2023
RTB-Delta County sent questionnaires to the four school board candidates running for the three open seats. The questionnaire consisted of nine questions and addressed three primary categories: the candidates’ qualification for office, their grasp of and vision to address important issues, and their ability to separate education from partisan politics and ideology.
"Ideally, if you're running for public office, you want to be as transparent as possible, so we are encouraged that some of the candidates made an effort to respond," said Clay.
RTB-Delta Press Release (Oct. 12, 2023)
The Restore the Balance
Delta County School Board subcommittee
Sept 28, 2023
These questionnaires were then sent out to each school board candidate. Tony Bohling and Hardy Hutto did not respond. Dan Burke and Beth Suppes did respond. Each committee member scored the returned questionnaires independently, utilizing a subjective grading scale methodology on a scale of 1 to 7 for the response to each question.
Because the questionnaire was essay in form, committee members used their judgment to assess and score the quality of the response to each question, based on the seven principles of Restore the Balance. These nine scores were then averaged and compiled for distribution.