New Year 2026 is shaping up as a busy year for elections in both the Town of Lake City and Hinsdale County, with Mayor Roberts and Trustee Jodi Linsey as contenders for the town’s mayoral position, and one Commissioner, Kristie Borchers, and a plethora of other county officers either retiring or seeking re-election.
On the county slate, District 2 Commissioner Borchers was elected to her first four-year term in 2018, was re-elected in 2022, and has not yet announced whether she will seek a third consecutive term on the three-member county board with incumbents Greg Levine and Robert Hurd.
Hinsdale County Sheriff Denim Starnes has served as sheriff since January last year when he was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of former sheriff Ron Bruce.
Denim, who is registered as Unaffiliated, has not yet announced whether he will seek formal election to the sheriff’s post in November this year, although there are already two announced candidates for the position, former Hinsdale County Undersheriff Jordan Kaminski, a Republican, who registered as sheriff’s candidate with Colorado Secretary of State on December 4 last year.
Also planning to run for Hinsdale County Sheriff as an Unaffiliated is Hinsdale County Deputy Daniel Strausbaugh who has served as deputy since June 1 last year.
Strausbaugh’s formal announcement as sheriff candidate is printed elsewhere in this week’s issue.
In addition to sheriff and one commissioner, also up for election this year are Hinsdale County Assessor Sherri Boyce and Hinsdale County Coroner Lori Lawrence, both of whom have announced they will not be seeking re-election.
Boyce, whose husband, Brent Boyce, retired as head Gunnison County Electric lineman in Lake City last year, has served as assessor since 2022 when she filled the vacancy caused by the resignation of Luke de la Parra.
Boyce says she is ready for retirement and credits a fine professional working relationship which has existed between herself and her deputy, Sarah Tubbs.
Also now lined up for retirement after a “tough decision” is Hinsdale County Coroner Lori Lawrence who was first appointed taking the place of retiring corner Jerry Gray on November 30, 2022, and was elected to a two-year term in 2024.
Lawrence notes that she has enjoyed the coroner’s position but that being “on call 24-7 really ties me down.”
As of this week, no candidates have emerged as potential successor to either the county assessor or county coroner.
Hinsdale County Clerk & Recorder Joan Roberts says she will seek another four-year term in this November’s general election.
Roberts succeeded retiring county clerk Linda Pavich on December 30, 2017 and was
