PUEBLO — Final unofficial results from the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder’s Office show that Pueblo voters have elected new county commissioners to take over in districts one and two.

Pueblo County is divided into three districts. The county commissioner for district one oversees communities which include the following:

• east side
• Rye
• Saint Charles Table

District Two includes parts of the following:

• West Town
• south side
• Beulah Valley

District Three also encompasses parts of Pueblo West and the north side of Pueblo.
Pueblo County commissioner positions have typically been held by Democrats. Elected in 2022, Zach Swearingen was the first Republican county commissioner in about two decades and currently serves in District Three.

In November of this year, the position of county commissioners in districts one and two was up for election. According to the final unofficial results, both incumbents lost and will not be re-elected. In the district one that is Eppie Griego.

“This is our community. We love this city and we just wanted to move forward,” Griego said.

Griego said he ran for re-election because he has several projects he wants to continue working on.

“For example, the jail, Medal of Honor Boulevard, you know, the water projects we have in Avondale, Boone, Beulah, Colorado City,” Griego said.

Griego said he wants to share this message with his followers.

“I just want to thank everyone for the support they gave me and let me tell you that everything has been good. I’ve heard it everywhere, wherever I go. Are you Eppie Greek? Yes, I support you. It was amazing, just hearing that,” Griego said.

He ran as an independent against Republican Steve Rodriguez and Democrat Miles Lucero.

According to unofficial final results, Lucero will be the next county commissioner for district one. He won by more than 3,000 votes.

In District Two, an experienced politician, Daneya Esgar, ran to protect her position as District Two County Commissioner.

“I was a state representative for eight years before I was recalled and I came home and I really wanted to continue to delve deeper into my community and serve it the best I could,” Esgar said.

Esgar said he ran for re-election to focus on three main issues.

“We really need to focus on the economic development of Pueblo County. We need to protect the water that we have here, because we know that people in the north are always looking to come and buy our water or drink it. We need to defend that. We also need to really look at the public safety issues here in Pueblo County,” Esgar said.

Esgar was against political newcomer Paula McPheeters.

“The reason I decided to run is to make sure Pueblo County is represented in terms of land use and the various administrative jobs that sit on the commissioner’s desk. You’re really running the county, and I thought it’s a job that fits well with what I’ve done so far, and I just wanted to be in a place to give back and do that work for the community,” McPheeters said.

McPheeters worked at Pueblo Community College for more than 20 years.

“The diverse candidates running offer a new and fresh perspective on Pueblo,” McPheeters said.

This is his first position in public office.

“I really want to cooperate with both the city and the county, work with the mayor and the city council and make sure that our county commission we all work together on those bigger issues,” McPheeters said.

The race for District Two was the closest, with the latest numbers polled showing McPheeters by around 1,300 votes.

“It is not easy to run for office, but thank you for giving me the opportunity to be elected and serve, and over the next four years you will be able to see if I have done the job well enough for you. So thank you. Pueblo County would be my message,” McPheeters said.

Esgar said he hopes Pueblo can “thrive together.”

“You know, I think Pueblo has always been a community that looks out for each other, and we’ve gotten away from them, and we need to come back together and really stand by our neighbors and help each other. and take care of each other,” Esgar said.

A county spokesperson said commissioners-elect Lucero and McPheeters will begin their terms in January.

___

Former Secretary of State reacts to voting system password leak and safeguards implemented

A former state elections official said posting voting system passwords on the Secretary of State’s website is a major mistake, but it does not automatically compromise county voting equipment.

Reaction after the publication of partial electoral passwords for months

_____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. just search KOAA5 NewsDownload it and start watching.