AVH candidates in their own words

This is the first contested race for the board of directors at the hospital in six years. Aspen Valley Hospital (AVH) canceled two previous ones because no one applied, except the incumbents. For this election, there are seven candidates running for two open seats.The candidates all answered a series of questions posed by Aspen Public Radio. Here are their responses.Ballots must be returned to AVH's administration office by 7 p.m. on May 3. They can be mailed or dropped off in person.

Aspen Citizens for Democracy push for new election date

Aspen Public Radio

Published May 21, 2018 at 7:23 AM MDT

A group hoping to change the date of Aspen’s municipal elections is holding a public meeting Tuesday evening.

Aspen Citizens for Democracy is made up of elected officials, business owners and long time Aspen locals. They say the May elections for Aspen’s governing bodies excludes many registered voters who leave town during the off-season month.

They are hosting a series of listening sessions about a ballot initiative they hope to see this November which moves back the timing of local elections.

Skippy Mesirow, who serves on two city boards and ran for city council in 2017, said if even a few more voters can participate, it could greatly affect election outcomes.

“Even if it’s one percent, in an election that’s somewhere between 17 and 27 votes,” Mesirow said. “In the last 15 years everything from the entrance to Aspen to who the mayor is to your council people are, are regularly decided by less than that.”

The discussion begins at 6 p.m. Monday at the Aspen Tap.