MICHAEL RITTER – LOCAL GOVERNMENT EDITOR
City Councilmembers win by large margins, and Marijuana can now be sold and taxed within the city limits.
The Grand Junction Municipal Election’s final unofficial results released in the evening hours of election day paints a rather lopsided picture. The closest margin of victory on this ballot came in the District D Race, where voters chose Dennis J Simpson (8,213) over Greg Haitz (6,961) at a still wide margin of 8.2 points.
Rick Taggart will remain on the Council for another term. Voters chose Taggart (9,259) over challenger Mark McCallister (6,357) to represent Council District A. Taggart beat McCallister by 18.6 points.
Across 7th ST. in Council District E, voters selected Abe Herman (9,374) to represent them instead of Jody Green (6,109). The Council District E race was the most lopsided Council race, with Herman beating Green by 21 points.
Kraig Andrews will no longer be a member of the Council after losing the race for the Council District At-Large seat. Voters selected Dr. Randall Reitz (9,122) to represent them by a 19.4 point margin over Andrews.
The newly elected slate of council members will take their oaths and seats on the Council in May of 2021.
All three ballot measures on the ballot passed and were approved by the voters on the April 6th election with double-digit margins. Measure 2A, which was about Taxation on Regulated Marijuana, passed by 11.6 points, receiving 9,235 yes votes and 7,309 no votes.
Measure 2B, which lifted the Moratorium on Marijuana Businesses, passed by 16 points, receiving 9,755 yes votes and 7,055 no votes.
Measure 2C, which involved the Development of Property along 27 1/2 Road and C 1/2 Road, passed by 48 points, the most significant margin of approval in this election. Measure 2C received 11,954 yes votes and 4,216 no votes.
The next municipal election will take place in early April of 2023.
Rick Taggart stands in front of City Hall where he serves as a Council member for the Grand Junction City Council. Taggart was re-elected for the District A seat in the April 6, 2021 Grand Junction Municipal Election. April 8, 2021; Grand Junction City Hall; Grand Junction, CO; Megan Garchar. 
Councilmember Rick Taggart, newly re-elected to serve on the Grand Junction City Council, sits at his seat at the dais in the auditorium where City Council meetings are held. April 8, 2021; Grand Junction City Hall; Grand Junction, CO; Megan Garchar. 
This political sign, located just off of the I-70 Business Loop, protests Measures 2A and 2B of the 2021 Grand Junction Municipal Election, which would lift the moratorium on marijuana businesses in Grand Junction as well as increase the tax on the marijuana sales. April 8, 2021; I-70 Business Loop near 29 Road; Grand Junction, CO; Megan Garchar. 
Current Councilmember Anna Stout and Councilmember Chuck McDaniels have a post-meeting discussion at the dais in the auditorium at City Hall after the April 8, 2021 City Council Meeting. April 8, 2021; Grand Junction City Hall; Grand Junction, CO; Megan Garchar. 
Councilmember Rick Taggart’s nameplate sits at the dais after the April 8, 2021 City Council Meeting. Taggart has also formerly served as the Mayor of Grand Junction, CO, and says that his favorite part of serving on Grand Junction’s City Council is the ability to interface with members of the community. April 8, 2021; Grand Junction City Hall; Grand Junction, CO; Megan Garchar. 
April 7, 2021 Photo by Kylyn Rigsby
Outside of City Hall voting was available for Grand Junction citizens with the ballot drop box.
April 7, 2021 Photo by Kylyn Rigsby
Changes are coming to Grand Junction and the City Hall due to the Municipal Elections that took place on April 6th.
April 7, 2021 Photo by Kylyn Rigsby
Spring brings more change than to just the trees
April 7, 2021 Photo by Kylyn Rigsby
Here in Grand Junction, right on Main St. there is a CBD oil and Hemp store yet there are only dispensary’s outside of the Grand Junction City limits but still in Mesa County.
April 7, 2021 Photo by Kylyn Rigsby
CBD oils have several positive benefits which are listed outside of the Grand Valley Hemp Infusions store on Main St.
April 7, 2021 Photo by Kylyn Rigsby
After temporarily closing due to the Covid-19 pandemic and quarantine, they are now officially back open.
April 7, 2021 Photo by Kylyn Rigsby
Happy Camper is a dispensary outside of Palisade which was opened in 2014.
April 7, 2021 Photo by Kylyn Rigsby
Spring brings more change than to just the trees.
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