Colorado elected 28 new sheriffs Tuesday night, including new top lawmen in Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson and Weld counties.
The election of new sheriffs also should end controversies surrounding the office in El Paso and Mesa counties.
The election of so many new sheriffs should not have an impact on the state’s law enforcement community, said Chris Johnson, executive director of the County Sheriffs of Colorado.
“That’s not an uncommon number for new sheriffs,” Johnson said.
While votes were still being counted late Tuesday, it appeared Republicans were cruising to victory in most sheriff’s races.
Projected winners and leaders included:
Adams County — Republican Michael McIntosh, with 53 percent of 84,130 votes.
Arapahoe County — Republican David Walcher, who was appointed sheriff in January to replace retiring Sheriff Grayson Robinson, with 57 percent of 163,610 votes.
Douglas County — Republican Tony Spurlock with 78 percent of 95,386 votes. He was appointed sheriff this year to replace the retiring David Weaver.
Jefferson County — Republican Jeff Schrader, with 78 percent of 179,977 votes.
Weld County — Republican Steve Reams, with 72 percent of 68,661 votes. He will replace Sheriff John Cooke, who had reached his term limit and who spearheaded the Colorado sheriffs’ lawsuit over the state’s new gun laws.
El Paso County — Bill Elder, a Republican and the deputy chief of the Fountain Police Department, was cruising in an uncontested race to replace Sheriff Terry Maketa.
Maketa, who has run into a term limit, has been under fire for having sexual relationships with three women in the department and for promoting them. Federal and state authorities also have confirmed ongoing criminal investigations into alleged corruption surrounding Maketa.
In Mesa County, Republican Matt Lewis was leading two independent candidates, with 69 percent of the 47,913 votes cast.
Lewis, a sergeant in the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, was nominated to run on the Republican ticket after State Sen. Steve King, a Republican and former sheriff’s department employee, dropped out of the race amid a criminal investigation.
In July, King was fired from his job in the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office when his finances came under investigation.
He since has been charged with three felonies and two misdemeanors for allegedly falsifying time cards, theft and failing to report income as required of state legislators.
There are 62 elected sheriffs in Colorado, and all are up for election every four years. Two other county sheriffs are appointed. All of the newly elected sheriffs will be required to attend the County Sheriffs of Colorado’s New Sheriffs Institute, which is held every four years.
