The Colorado Independent - Latest Comments in Soviet Style County Ballots

Re: Soviet Style County Ballots

Leslie — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 17:12:50 -0000

I plead the 5th There were some issues, but let's say there is also a local aggressive Democratic recruiter....

Re: Soviet Style County Ballots

Andrew Oh-Willeke — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 14:59:01 -0000

ITA Denver and Broomfield have done the right thing. A non-doctor coroner in Montrose sent the entire state organ donation system into a dizzy by incorrectly accusing doctors at a local hospital of taking organs for transplant purposes from someone who was still alive.

In Ouray, the coroner has to cart around dead bodies in the back of his pickup, because they have nothing better for the job.

A state medical examiner's office, with a state medical examiner appointed by the Governor and approved by the state senate, could do the same job much better with a tiny staff of about 80 people (based on coroner's office staffing in Araphahoe County).

No one seems interested in running for surveyor anyway, so maybe that one really could be eliminated. But, voters have generally been very skeptical of the idea of reducing the length of the ballot.

Re: Soviet Style County Ballots

Andrew Oh-Willeke — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 14:55:20 -0000

Why? What in the world was the issue? Was somebody upset over a boundary dispute or something? Was there a scandal?

Re: Soviet Style County Ballots

Leslie Robinson — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 11:47:27 -0000

GarCo #1 in Something! Yeah for Garfield County! (Glenwood Springs/Rifle area on West Slope) We had the one contested surveyor's race in the state!

Re: Soviet Style County Ballots

Sandra Fish — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 11:39:34 -0000

some of these offices really should be removed from the constitution as elected positions - especially the surveyor and coroner.

the latter is often filled by undertakers in small counties, where it probably would be far more efficient for several counties to pool together and hire a professional. (tho they must be farming out needed autopsies to physicians anyway.)

for one thing, the legislature sets the salaries for coroners, which in many counties is $75,000 annually. if the coroner isn't an actual physician who can perform autopsies, you're going to farm them out to someone else.

a referendum in 2002 allows the legislature to set qualifications and require training for county coroners.

it still seems kind of wacky to elect them though.