Sarah Jones Wins YVEA District 6 Seat in Record Turnout

Can you believe that a single utility board election in Steamboat Springs drew more than 2,400 ballots, representing the highest voter turnout in YVEA history? That’s not just a statistic; that’s proof of how deeply the rhythm of our daily lives — our heating, our cooling, the hum of the refrigerator — is tied to the people who hold the reins at Yampa Valley Electric Association. Sarah Jones has secured the District 6 seat on the board, and the margin tells a story of a community that paid attention.

Jones earned 1,164 votes to defeat Lisa Rosintoski, who garnered 822. It was the only contested race in the cooperative’s recent history, a fact that makes the result feel even more significant. District 6 covers North Routt and the city of Steamboat Springs, an area where the mountains rise sharply and the winters bite hard, making reliable power a literal matter of survival. The incumbent, Tom Fox, initially announced his bid for re-election but withdrew in late May. Yet, his name remained on the ballot, and he still pulled in 415 votes, a number that suggests a loyal base waiting in the wings.

The turnout was 11.7%, a figure that Scott Blecke, YVEA’s CEO, called the highest in the cooperative’s history. That’s a lot of voices in a place where we often prefer our privacy. The ballots were a mix of paper mail-in, electronic, and six cast in person, totaling 2,425 received with 2,395 deemed valid. It’s a democratic process, grounded in the Seven Cooperative Principles, but it feels different when you’re the one holding the ballot. You can feel the weight of it, the knowledge that your vote shapes the rates you pay and the reliability you expect.

“I am looking forward to digging in to this important work and excited to represent the members of District 6,” Jones said in a statement on Thursday. It’s a simple sentence, but it carries the promise of action. She’ll be onboarded prior to the cooperative’s regularly scheduled board meeting on July 22, stepping into a role that demands both vision and grit. Board members serve three-year terms, with three seats up for election each year, a staggered system that ensures continuity even as leadership changes hands.

In other districts, the races were quieter. In District 2, which covers Moffat County, Sunbeam, and Maybell, incumbent Ray Dubois ran uncontested. So did District 3 incumbent Sasha Nelson, who will continue representing the city of Craig. But it’s in District 6, where the competition was fierce, that the real story lies. The community showed up, and they showed their colors.

Tom Fox, who accepted an award honoring his 15 years of service on the board, took a moment to acknowledge the people behind the power. “To the employees of YVEA, without you, the lights do not come on,” he said. “The phones do not get answered. The trucks do not roll. The cooperative simply does not function.” It’s a humble acknowledgment, one that reminds us that behind every bill and every outage map are real people working in the field, in the office, and behind the scenes.

As Jones prepares to take her seat, the question isn’t just who won, but what they’ll do with the power they’ve been given. The lights will stay on, the trucks will roll, and the community will keep watching.