Results of the 2025 La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) election were announced at the cooperative’s annual meeting on May 21, 2025. This meeting was held to not only elect and seat new directors but also to present LPEA’s 2024 annual report and accomplishments. In accordance with LPEA Bylaws, one seat in each of LPEA’s four districts comes up for election annually.
Detailed election results are as follows. There were no bylaw amendments on the ballot for this election term.
District 1 (Archuleta County): Dusty Mars won with 1,075 votes. Candidate Holly Metzler received 739 votes.
District 2 (South and West La Plata County): Candidate Brad Blake won with 1,768 votes. Candidate Terry Greiner received 401 votes and candidate Greg Barber received 367 votes.
District 3 (City of Durango): Candidate Joe Lewandowski won with 1,718 votes. Candidate David Peters received 640 votes.
District 4 (North & East La Plata County): Candidate John Witchel won with 1,391 votes. Candidate Lyle McKnight received 1,337 votes.
Of the 37,384 eligible voters in all districts, a total of 9,446 LPEA members cast votes for a 25.3% return rate. Of these, 4,433 (47%) were cast using LPEA’s new online voting option.
This year marked a milestone in LPEA’s commitment to member engagement, with the introduction of online voting. The added convenience appears to have played a key role in increasing turnout, with nearly half of voters casting their ballots online.
Officers will be seated at the next meeting of the LPEA Board of Directors scheduled for Wednesday, June 18 beginning at 9am at LPEA in Durango. Members can join virtually, or attend in person. Meeting details can be accessed at lpea.coop/lpea-board-directors-resources.
About LPEA
LPEA is a member-owned, not-for-profit, electric distribution cooperative serving La Plata and Archuleta counties, with segments of Hinsdale, Mineral, and San Juan counties. LPEA is the fifth largest cooperative of 22 in Colorado, and aims to provide safe, reliable electricity at the lowest reasonable cost to its approximately 37,300 members. For additional information, contact LPEA at (970) 247-5786 or visit lpea.coop.