Western Colorado Alliance will host a Halloween-themed “Ballot Bash” Friday, Oct. 16, in Montrose, offering residents an opportunity to learn about the issues on the November ballot in an interactive, nonpartisan setting.
The event will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Association and will feature educational stations covering all 14 statewide ballot measures, along with the four proposed amendments to the City of Montrose Charter.
Bianca Diaz, community organizer for Western Colorado Alliance, said the event is designed to make complicated ballot questions easier to understand while providing an alternative to traditional voter education materials.
“There’s a lot of information out there and we’re just trying to give people the basics so they can cast their vote with confidence,” Diaz said.
Rather than advocating for particular outcomes, organizers plan to present arguments from both supporters and opponents of each measure, allowing attendees to make their own decisions.
Participants will be able to visit individual stations to learn about the ballot questions, interact with other attendees and receive small treats along the way.
“We’re trying to again do it in a fun environment that’s not just, you know, reading a bunch of text and having people interact with others and also getting like a little treat at each station after they’ve heard the spiel about it,” Diaz said.
The event will also include trivia, and Western Colorado Alliance is offering attendees a complimentary drink.
Diaz said the organization sees voter education as particularly important in Western Colorado, where statewide policy decisions can have distinct implications for rural communities.
“We live in like incredibly complex times especially in our state,” Diaz said. “We have, you know, super interesting budget situations and a lot of complex social issues and a lot of those are kind of heightened here on the West Slope.”
She said the goal is to help residents feel comfortable evaluating those issues and making informed decisions for themselves and their families.
Grassroots democracy has been central to Western Colorado Alliance’s work since its founding in 1980, Diaz said. The organization regularly conducts nonpartisan voter education and outreach, including canvassing and community events aimed at increasing voter participation.
The Ballot Bash will also have a Halloween theme, with attendees welcome to dress in costumes, although organizers will not hold a costume contest this year.
The event comes as mail ballots have begun arriving across Montrose County ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. It also precedes Saturday’s No Kings demonstration in Montrose, which will include additional voter education activities.
The Ballot Bash is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Association in Montrose.
Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.
