The success of a measure that would help parents send their children to preschool remained unclear Wednesday because of Denver’s ongoing problems counting votes.
Question 1A, which would raise city taxes to help parents pay for preschool education, was ahead by less than a percentage point, with the votes of several precincts still uncounted.
The measure would raise sales taxes 12 cents per $100 to fund child-care tuition credits for families of 4-year-olds and provide money to improve preschool programs.
Proponents say it would help as many as 2,000 children gain valuable social skills and a strong preparation for their education.
Opponents say the money would violate the separation of church and state by funding faith-based schools. Others grumble the money could be spent on more traditional city services.
Additional election news briefs:
NAVAJO VOTE
Joe Shirley is first Navajo president to be re-elected
Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. defeated challenger Lynda Lovejoy on Tuesday to win a second term.
He garnered 53.5 percent of 65,027 votes cast across the reservation, which stretches from northeastern Arizona to southeastern Utah and northwestern New Mexico.
If she had won, Lovejoy would have been the first woman to hold the presidential post for the Navajo, the largest Indian nation within the United States. As it was, Shirley became the first Navajo president to win re-election, according to spokesman George Hardeen from the nation’s capital in Window Rock, Ariz.
“I want to express appreciation to the Creator, to the campaign staff who had worked very hard and very diligently, and to all the voting populace of Navajo land out there,” Shirley said at the Window Rock Civic Center, where votes were counted. “I appreciate their vote of confidence.”
MONTROSE
Write-in candidates trip up county’s count
Montrose County planned to submit election results sometime Wednesday evening, after delays caused by trouble tallying the write-in candidate totals.
Carol Kruse, Montrose County clerk, said misspelled, incorrect and fake candidate names forced election officials to go back and determine, ballot by ballot, which written-in names should be counted as part of the final tally.
As of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Kruse said, election officials worked through the problem and finally had the totals.
