LPEA Board Election Ballots Mail April 20 as Candidates Emerge in Durango Districts

Three candidates listed by the La Plata County Republicans are running for seats on the La Plata Electric Association's 12-member board as the cooperative prepares to mail ballots to all member households on April 20: James Lane, Jodi Zuber and John Purser.

The election places four board seats across LPEA's Durango-area districts. Incumbents John Lee Jr. in District 2 (south and west La Plata County), Rachel Landis in District 3 (city of Durango), and David Luschen in District 4 (north and east La Plata County) each face contests for their three-year terms, alongside a race in District 1 covering Archuleta County, where Nicole Pitcher holds the current seat.

The timing carries particular weight. LPEA's planned April 2026 exit from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a long-standing arrangement that capped local renewable energy sourcing at just 5 percent of the cooperative's power supply, means the board seated this spring will govern LPEA's first years of energy independence. Whoever wins these races will set the policy direction on rates, resource mix, and reliability standards for approximately 34,200 members powering more than 46,500 meters across La Plata, Archuleta, and portions of Hinsdale, Mineral, and San Juan counties.

John Purser is a familiar name in this race. He ran for the District 4 seat in last year's election and lost to incumbent Tim Wheeler by a margin of 718 to 1,030 votes. His return, alongside Lane and Zuber on the Republican-listed slate, signals a more organized ideological push than LPEA elections have typically drawn. The La Plata County Republican Party's open involvement is a notable departure from the cooperative's traditionally nonpartisan board contests.

LPEA is offering two voting methods this cycle. Members with a SmartHub account can vote online beginning April 20 at 8 a.m. by logging in and clicking the ballot link. Paper ballots can be returned by mail or dropped off in person at LPEA's offices in Durango or Pagosa Springs. All votes must be submitted by May 19, with online ballots due by noon and paper ballots by 4 p.m. Election results will be announced at LPEA's Annual Meeting on May 20.

Members who receive both a paper ballot and submit an online vote should note that only the paper ballot will be counted if both are submitted. Candidate biographical information and financial disclosure materials are available at lpea.coop/elections.