VAIL VALLEY, Colorado — Jamie Luckenbill arrived at the Eagle-Vail Pavilion at 7 a.m. armed with a warm jacket, a camping chair and an Ali Hasan campaign sign.

Luckenbill, an Eagle-Vail resident, signed up to work for the Republican state House candidate in October because he was impressed with Hasan’s ideas for the county and state.

“I like the idea of the monorail,” said Luckenbill, referring to Hasan’s controversial idea to build a mountain monorail system.

But few of the Eagle-Vail residents voting Tuesday afternoon shared Luckenbill’s enthusiasm for the state House race — it was the presidential contest that brought them to the polls.

“I’m here to give some love out to Obama,” said Johnny Howell, an Eagle-Vail resident.

Howell said he was voting primarily to support Sen. Barack Obama and hadn’t paid close attention to the state House contest between Hasan and Democrat Christine Scanlan or state Senate race between Republican Al White and Democrat Ken Brenner.

Howell, who rode his bike to the polls, said he was most interested in the Democratic presidential candidate’s energy policy.

“I’d like to see him get us energy independent in the next 10 years,” Howell said. “I think that’s going to be important for the next 100 years.”

Lines inside the Eagle-Vail voting location were only two or three people deep Tuesday afternoon.

Eagle-Vail resident and longtime Republican Barbara Passig supported Hasan and White because she voted straight ticket. But it was her civic duty that brought her to the polls

“We’re pretty dedicated voters,” she said of her family.

Passig had to pause when she got to the state House race on her lengthy Colorado ballot. “When I came to that one I just didn’t really know — I voted party line,” Passig said.

Local residents Alex Contino and Lucas Weigand — both Obama supporters — said they were “uninformed” on the state House and Senate races.

“We’re here because of our right to vote,” Weigand said.

“Yeah, we’re here more for the president,” Contino said.

Avon resident Derek Freedman doesn’t pay much attention to local, state or national politics. Obama changed that, he said.

“He’s inspirational,” he said.

Alethea Platter, an Avon resident and McCain supporter, voted for Hasan.

“I’m more familiar with him,” she said. “He’s really gotten himself out there.”

There “wasn’t really anything in particular” that brought Vail resident John Goldstein to the polls this year.

“I figure Obama is going to win anyway,” said Goldstein, a Republican who voted straight ticket.

Vail resident Kevin O’Brien showed up at the polls to support Obama. He said he didn’t vote in most of the local races.



Staff Writer Chris Outcalt can be reached at 970-748-2931 or coutcalt@vaildaily.com.