Over the past year, Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters and her team in the election department have applied for and received grants to offset the County’s financial burden to assist with conducting the State Primary and General Elections in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants were used on items like adding new drop-boxes, including a convenient and safe distancing compliant drive-up dropbox, outfitting voting centers with personal protective equipment (PPE), and equipment so that every eligible voter had a method to ensure safe and secure mail ballot and in-person voting.
Mesa County received assistance through these grants, which included:
2019 Colorado Votes Act Grant
● Total amount funded $32,048.49● 2 drop boxes funded (CMU and Fairgrounds) $ 7,769.89
o Cost of boxes, video surveillance and installation
● 6 ImageCast X Voting Machines $22,050.00
● Various signs for Voter Service and Polling Center $ 1,508.60
CARES Act Drop Box Grant
● 1 drop box funded (Palisade) $ 4,846.88
● 1 drop box funded (Palisade) $ 4,846.88
CARES Act Primary Mailing Grant
● Printing, inserting and mailing of ballots during June Primary Election $25,861.72
● Printing, inserting and mailing of ballots during June Primary Election $25,861.72
CARES Act Election Safety Grant
● Covered COVID related expenses such as PPE, judges, and VSPC expenses $75,662.92
o PPE such as paper towels, disposable pens, thermometer, sneeze guards, mopping equipment,o Additional judges pay and overtimeo Tent team supplieso Ballot on Demand printerso Ballot inserts