State Sues El Paso County After Primary Canceled

The Democratic and Constitution Party primaries in El Paso County were canceled this year in a move to save taxpayer money, but that move has gotten the attention of the Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler.

Now the State is suing El Paso County.

The El Paso County Clerk and Recorder, Wayne Williams, canceled the primaries for 2012 because they are uncontested, and Williams told KRDO NewsChannel13 the law gives him every right to make the change.

?Our belief is that the law was passed as a cost saving measure. It was passed in 2009 when things were very tight for the county and state,? said Williams.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s office said Gessler reads the law differently.

?The law is pretty clear that it says all the primaries have to be non-contested races not just a particular party’s primaries,? said Richard Coolidge with the Colorado Secretary of State?s Office.

If a judge determines El Paso County is right, then, scrapping the uncontested primaries would save taxpayers in El Paso County $68,000 dollars in election costs.

A judge is expected to make a decision early next week.

The general primary election is set for June 26.