Candidate Survey Results Are In — Vote With Confidence

Grand Junction, CO

Dear Restore the Balance Community,

"Democracy isn't something that runs on its own; it is stronger when we all participate."

— Bobbie Gross, Mesa County Clerk and Recorder

Candidate Survey Results

We've talked about elections all year, mainly with an eye on the integrity of the process. Now it's time for all of us to exercise our right to vote.

As in previous years, Restore the Balance sent surveys to candidates and rated their responses, this year covering CD-3 and local Mesa County races. Our branches in Delta and La Plata counties also surveyed candidates for local offices there. You can find the candidate reports, scorecards, and responses here.

We hope these results, along with the candidates' own answers where provided, help you vote with confidence. We also encourage you to visit candidates' websites, do your own research, and take advantage of any chances to meet candidates in person. We'll add such events to future newsletters as we learn about them.

Be informed. Vote early.

A Conversation on Election Integrity

Bobbie Gross recently spoke at a Restore the Balance event. Rather than focusing on campaign politics (she is on the ballot), she addressed broader threats to election integrity. Some key points from her talk:

• Misinformation and disinformation, foreign and domestic, are among the biggest threats to elections today, often aimed less at swaying votes than at eroding trust in the process itself.

• AI has made fake images, voices, and videos easy to produce, letting false claims (like changed voting locations or extended deadlines) spread faster than officials can correct them.

• Get election details (polling locations, hours, ballot deadlines, registration status) from official sources, not social media or even news outlets. Check your county clerk's website or the Secretary of State's website.

• If someone shares misinformation with you, offer the official source rather than arguing.

• Responsibility for election infrastructure and voter information has increasingly shifted to state and local officials, who depend on citizens knowing where to find trusted information.

• Early voting builds resilience by spreading participation out over time, reducing the risk that bad weather, technical failures, or other disruptions on a single Election Day could affect large numbers of voters.

• Civic responsibility matters as much as technology or administration: accept election outcomes, respect the legal process for challenges, and support peaceful transfers of power.

• Talk with friends and neighbors, help others find accurate information, and encourage every eligible voter, including those who see things differently than you, to participate.

• Democracy depends on informed, engaged citizens who protect our shared institutions.

Ballots will be mailed October 2, with a reminder as November approaches. Vote early.

Ballot Initiatives

Beyond candidates, this is a record year for the number of ballot initiatives in Colorado. Look for a separate email on initiatives later this week.

Member Recommendations

A thought-provoking read that intermittently challenges what we now call "wokeness": The Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff.

Also on our radar: I Disagree, by Jessica Tarlov, and How to Eat An Elephant: One Voter at a Time, by Sarah Longwell (a former Republican strategist).

Worth a Read: Our Most Important Next Step

Paula Massa Anderson, writing on her Substack, offers a personal take on where to put your energy this election: know the situation, then focus on the next step. In her view, that step is making sure you're registered, filling out your ballot as soon as it arrives, and returning it by drop box or mail. This is an opinion piece reflecting the author's perspective. Read it here.

Shared for informational purposes only; does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate or political party, or of the author's views.

Upcoming Events

9/28 — Western Colorado Days of Action Meeting

• 5:00 PM, Koinonia Church, 730 25 Road.

• A coalition of local groups discussed upcoming election-season activities, including recruiting volunteers to act as "constitutional observers" watching activity outside polling places.

• Shared for informational purposes only; does not constitute an RTB endorsement of this coalition or its positions.

9/30 — Voter Registration Assistance Session

• 7:30 AM-1:00 PM, Mesa County Prime Health, 526 29 1/2 Road.

• Drop-in help registering to vote.

10/1 — Medicaid Commission Community Meeting

• 6:00 PM (about 90 minutes), Colorado Mesa University, UC Ballroom 217.

• Rep. Rick Taggart, who serves on the legislative Commission on Medicaid, is holding a community meeting to hear directly from people who depend on the program, since the Commission's regular meetings happen at the Capitol during the workweek.

• Nothing shared is attributed by name.

• Can't attend? Complete the survey instead.

10/2 — Ballots mailed for the November 3 general election; 24-hour drop boxes open

10/6 — Courageous Colorado Civic Social

• 5:00-6:30 PM, Himalayan Kitchen, Durango.

• RSVP here.

• Shared for informational purposes only; does not constitute an RTB endorsement of this organization or its positions.

10/7 — Indivisible CO Ballot Initiative Deep Dive

• Virtual event.

• Register here.

• Shared for informational purposes only; does not constitute an RTB endorsement of this organization or its positions.

10/10 — Ballot Initiative Roundtable

• 2:00-4:00 PM, presented by Western Colorado Alliance and L.A.C.E.

• Ramblebine Brewery, 443 N. 6th St, Grand Junction.

• Save the date; further details to follow.

• Shared for informational purposes only; does not constitute an RTB endorsement of these organizations or their positions.

10/14 — RTB Social Hour

• 4:30-6:30 PM. [Venue TBD]

10/15 — Know Your Ballot

• Fort Lewis College, Durango.

• Fort Lewis College students will help guide La Plata-area members through the many ballot initiatives.

• Details and registration here.

On the Radar: Local Government Meetings

• Board of County Commissioners: Tuesdays @ 9 am

• Grand Junction City Council: 1st & 3rd Wednesdays @ 5:30 pm

• Town of Palisade Board of Trustees Meeting: 2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 6 pm

• Fruita City Council: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays @ 7pm

• D51 School Board: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays @ 5pm (public comments accepted on 3rd Tuesdays only)

• Mesa County Library Board: Last Thursdays @ 5:30 pm

• Public Health Board: 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 3 pm

Thank you to all who have submitted photos, podcasts, and video recommendations. We will publish a recommendation in each category every week. Please keep them coming!

Want to Contribute to Our Weekly Newsletter?

Our best recommendations come from you! Have you read a thought-provoking book? Listened to an insightful podcast? Found an article worth sharing? Captured a beautiful photo of Western Colorado? We want to feature your discoveries and perspectives in our Monday Update.

You can share resources, suggest topics you'd like RTB to address, or submit photos from around our community. All submissions can be anonymous or attributed to you; it's your choice. Submit your recommendations here

Let's learn from each other and build a more informed community together.

Don't forget to vote in 2026: Ballots will be mailed on October 2. Vote Early.