Montezuma County Republicans on Thursday night began the election season in old-way tradition: Local, openly run gatherings where engaged voters voice opinions about policy and candidates before casting paper ballots.
Neighbors gathered in libraries, churches and meeting halls, signed in with party volunteers and settled into seats as discussions started up.
The evening marked the first step in the party’s process for nominating candidates for the 2026 election cycles as registered Republicans gathered for 12 precinct caucuses across Montezuma County.
Voters met at six locations including the Cortez Chamber of Commerce, Lewis-Arriola Fire Department, Mesa Trails Cowboy Church in Mancos, and Dolores Public Library. The meetings allowed party members to organize precinct leadership and importantly, select delegates who will represent their voice at the county Republican assembly March 21.
Each precinct started by verifying voter IDs, then selected secretaries to record minutes, and counters to tally votes.
The primary tasks elected 145 delegates advancing to the county assembly and passed or failed proposed resolutions pertaining to local issues.
The format reflects one of the oldest traditions in American politics, going back more than a century to neighborhood-style gatherings where party members meet informally to discuss issues and physically cast votes. The legislature adopted caucuses in 1910 to limit the power of party bosses. The system by presidential primaries in 1992 but restored in 2002.
While ballot primaries are more common today, the caucus system remains in many states, most notably Iowa, and continues to be organized locally.
Officers of the Montezuma County Republican Central Committee met Thursday afternoon with precinct leaders, reviewing the long list of rules, procedures and documentation required to conduct and certify the caucuses.
It was all hush until voices began to echo off the Chamber of Commerce building walls where 50 people attended. Organizers moved around, coordinating votes for five of eight Cortez precincts.
After the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer, Shane Prentice – a Mancos pastor running for the commissioner nomination – first addressed the crowd before heading to attend other locations.
“I would advocate to use some funds to get our sheriff’s department the training and equipment they need to have an advantage,” Prentice said.
He noted he is not running because he is unhappy with the current administration but he believes does some change is needed. Representatives for commissioner candidate Diane Spratlen-Fox and the sheriff candidate, Tyson Cox, also read statements.
“The precinct caucus is the most local unit,” said Tom Seymour, who spoke next, explaining the purpose of the gathering.
Seymour encouraged attendees to consider volunteering as precinct chairs next year, a role that involves greater party participation, including attending monthly meetings and other events.
“Lisa here just volunteered for chair of Precinct 6. I wish I had a mic,” organizer Patti Smith said as attendees in the back asked her to speak louder. “Thank you for stepping up, guys.”
When it came time to vote, participants broke into circles by precinct. They cast ballots by placing tiny paper slips into plastic bags used to collect the votes.
“We have a run-off in Precinct 7!” a vote counter called out from the side of the room.
Later, Lenetta Shull, one of two candidates for Montezuma County clerk and recorder, addressed the group.
“Leadership is about transparency. The clerk’s office is not about politics – it’s about service,” Shull said.
Shull, who currently serves as chair of the Montezuma County Republican Central Committee, has taken a leave of absence from the role while she runs for office.
Afterward, precinct members continued voting to select delegates representing Precincts 6 through 10.
At the start of Precinct 3’s caucus at the Lewis-Arriola Fire Department, nearly 40 people ranging in age from elementary school and up gathered, catching up with old friends and discussing local, regional and national issues.
Mike Lynch, co-chair for Precinct 3 along with Linda Becker, kickstarted the caucus with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer, asking God to guide electors and to preserve the government he inspired 250 years ago.
The precinct then prepared to elect co-chairs for the next two years, along with delegates and alternates for the county assembly.
During periods of votes being tallied or other lapses in discussion, letters from candidates for positions like Colorado House of Representatives, county commissioners and more were read, including letters from Rep. Larry Don Suckla, David Robison, Diana Fox-Spratlen, Rep. Jeff Hurd and more.
Undersheriff Tyson Cox, who is running uncontested for sheriff, and Coronor George Deavers, who is seeking reelection, spoke to the electors in person. Lenetta Shull also made an appearance, sharing why she should be elected for Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder.
Becker, Jaime Cox and Linda Lynch volunteered to be the credentialing committee, and Deavers, Charlie Tate and Delta Suckla volunteered to tally votes. Julie Suckla served as the evening’s secretary.
Thirty-four electors were identified, and 18 names were self-nominated for delegate. Because Lynch and Becker automatically serve as delegates due to their co-chair position, 13 delegates and alternates were up for election as the first order of business.
The nominees for the delegate plurality vote were Jaime Cox, John Hargraves, Tyson Cox, Robert Englehart, Vicki Englehart, Scott Anderson, Gayle Randol, Mary Bowman, Michele Bell, Cindy Denton, Dani Traweek, Robert Myers, Delta Suckla, Julie Suckla, Rodney Cox, Ronda Cox, Linda Deavers and Kadan Sharp.
The electors chose Delta Suckla (32 votes), Julie Suckla (31), Jaime Cox (26), Linda Deavers (26), Hargraves (25), Robert Englehart (24), Rodney Cox (23), Tyson Cox (23), Ronda Cox (21), Sharp (21), Anderson (21), Traweek (21) and Randol (20).
The remaining electors, Vicki Englehart, Bowman, Bell, Denton and Myers will serve as alternates.
Lynch shared he will not rerun for co-chair for the precinct, but Becker will stay. Denton was the only individual to self-nominate and won by acclimation. She and Becker will serve as Precinct 3’s co-chairs for the next two years.
The next order of business were nominations for the state assembly. Denton and Delta Suckla were chosen by acclimation, as they were the only ones who self-nominated. The alternate is Julie Suckla.
Congressional District 3 had three delegate spots for the assembly. Three slots were open and three signed up, winning by acclimation. These delegates are Denton, Delta Suckla and Julie Suckla. No alternates signed up.
For the House District 58 assembly, three people signed up for two spots, but Denton volunteered to move to alternate. The delegates are Delta and Julie Suckla.
The only resolution presented would urge and encourage the MCRCC to remove the executive board for a bylaw violation, if passed. The majority of electors decided to strike down the resolution, and it will not go to the county assembly.
It was a quiet and subdued affair at Mesa Trails Cowboy Church, the home turf of Montezuma County Commissioner candidate and pastor Shane Prentice, who arrived before 8 p.m. to give his plea for support from elected delegates. While the rest of the evening was restless, attendees listened with rapt attention and let out chuckles as Prentice gave his appeal to around 30 Republican attendees.
“Government outta run more like a church and less like a business,” said Prentice, who lamented the underfunded sheriff’s department, the languishing racetrack at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds and the four-day workweek of county offices.
The voters from Precincts 11 and 12 which stretch from Lost Canyon to Mesa Verde split between the rows of pews to select their delegates for the county assembly. Ball caps and leather belts dominated as a select few donned patriotic emblems and MAGA merchandise. Republicans filled out the names of their desired delegates on slips of paper collected in a cowboy hat and a woven basket, true to “Cowboy Church” namesake. The analog affair resulted in eight delegates elected for Precinct 11 and 11 for Precinct 12.
Opposition to state of Colorado and legislators in Denver emerged as a theme among conservatives at the event. One of the more outspoken was Montezuma County Clerk and Recorder candidate David Raubeson who sported a bright red “Make American Great Again” cap.
“I think the biggest challenge we face is that the Democrats have engineered the elections to their favor,” Raubeson said in an interview with The Journal, citing false claims that Dominion’s voting machines harmed the integrity of the 2020 election.
“We need to go back to one day voting with an ID in-person,” he added, listing election integrity and immigration as top priorities of local party members.
Precinct 11 voters unanimously passed a resolution calling for the Colorado GOP to condemn and reject party members supporting any gun restrictions. The resolution entitled “The Purge of Anti-Gun Republicans” received applause.
But Republicans did not come 100% united, according to Raubeson.
“I don’t always agree with everyone in the room but we can talk it out,” he said. “We’re still all Republicans and even more important than that we’re all Americans.”
Election integrity is an issue that doesn’t unite all Republicans according to Steve Wilderson, the chair for Precinct 12.
“Republicans don’t think alike as much as Democrats seem to,” he said, adding later with a chuckle, “Don’t be too hard on us in the paper if a fist fight breaks out.”
However, true to his ideals of Republican unity, Raubeson threw his support behind Brett Likes for county commissioner in a speech, saying Likes, as his former son-in-law, didn’t always get along with his daughter but was the optimal candidate.
The former mayor of Mancos, Queenie Barz, presided over Precinct 11, and reluctantly reclaimed her role as precinct chair as no one in Precinct 11 wished to take her place. She read letters from county candidates who were unable to attend but nonetheless asked for delegate support in the county assembly. Already a delegate for the county assembly, voters also selected her as a delegate for the state assembly.
Raubeson read a resolution for Precinct 12 calling for the Montezuma County Republican Central Committee to support removing all four officers of the MCRCC. His resolution, supported by him and one other voter, did not pass.
Candidates attended caucuses and gave brief remarks.
Six Republicans are seeking the party’s nomination for Montezuma County commissioner. Candidates must receive at least 30% of the vote at the county Republican assembly to advance through the assembly process onto the primary ballot. Candidates may also qualify for the ballot by collecting petition signatures or by pursuing a hybrid petition-and-assembly route allowed under election law.
Republican candidates running for county commissioner include Shane Prentice, Diane Spratlen-Fox, Gerald Whited, Brett Likes, Bonnie Anderson and Rodney Cox.
Several other county offices will also appear on the Republican ballot this year. In the race for Montezuma County clerk and recorder, candidates include Lenetta Shull and David Raubeson. Other positions open that are not contested include coroner, treasurer and sheriff.
This article will be updated as information becomes available.
| Precinct 1 | Pleasant View Fire Department | 15235 Road CC, Pleasant View |
| Precinct 2 | Dolores Public Library | 1002 Railroad Ave., Dolores |
| Precinct 3 | Lewis-Arriola Fire Department | 21145 Road S, Cortez |
| Precinct 4 | Lighthouse Baptist Church | 11502 Colorado 145, Cortez |
| Precinct 5 | Lighthouse Baptist Church | |
| Precinct 6 | Cortez Chamber of Commerce | 20 W. Main St., Cortez |
| Precinct 7 | Cortez Chamber of Commerce | |
| Precinct 8 | Cortez Chamber of Commerce | |
| Precinct 9 | Cortez Chamber of Commerce | |
| Precinct 10 | Cortez Chamber of Commerce | |
| Precinct 11 | Mesa Trails Cowboy Church | 281 W. Menefee St., Mancos |
| Precinct 12 | Mesa Trails Cowboy Church |
