WEEK OF OCTOBER 3, 2024
VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 43
FREE A large campaign sign for Democrat Angela Thomas, running for Douglas County commissioner, stands on Sept. 20 along Interstate 25 in the Castle Pines area.
ing: “No matter how this election goes — this is my last campaign for county commissioner because of term limits — this isn’t a one-time thing.” Douglas started the program last year and received a handful of sign applications for the November 2023 election season, according to county staff. But this is the first year of openly partisan elections under the program, Teal said. Some signs may have informally popped up from time to time before at the now-approved locations. But SEE SIGNS, P8
SEE BOND, P10
Campaign signs pop up on vacant land in Douglas County
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Political campaign signs are popping up in recently sanctioned places on Douglas County-owned land, now that a new program has hit its first general election season during a presidential contest.
Large signs supporting incumbent County Commissioner George Teal, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Angela Thomas stand along Interstate 25 near Castle Pines Parkway. That location is among a handful of vacant, county-owned properties where Douglas officials decided to allow temporary signs during campaign seasons. Teal says he wants to make it an ongoing program that other campaign groups can take advantage of. County officials call it a “pilot,” or trial, program. “It was this year’s primary that was kind of the first test,” Teal said, add-
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BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Campaign efforts are in full swing to encourage Douglas County voters to support a $490 million bond proposal for the school district to address building maintenance and build new schools. Dozens of community members attended the Invest in DCSD campaign kickoff at Timberline Park in Highlands Ranch, which launched volunteer efforts to inform voters about the bond proposal, ballot issue 5A. “We want a community for our kids, and the simple fact is that communities are built by schools,” said Lynnea Dotseth, a Sterling Ranch resident and mother of four. The bond plan covers the construction of elementary schools in Sterling Ranch and Ridgegate, the expansion of Sierra Middle School and a majority of maintenance projects through 2026. It would also invest in building security improve-
PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
George Teal and rival Angela Thomas are among candidates making use of new rule
Douglas County School District is asking for a $490M bond
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