Controversial treasurer in Adams County, Lisa Culpepper, fails to make ballot

Embattled Adams County Treasurer Lisa Culpepper has been stymied in her effort to reclaim her seat in November, failing to get enough votes from delegates at the county’s Democratic assembly over the weekend to make the fall ballot.

“The county’s final,” said Adams County Democrats Chair Lori Goldstein, noting that it is too late for Culpepper to collect signatures to get on the ballot.

Instead, Alex Villagran will appear as the Democratic candidate for treasurer on the June 28 primary ballot. Goldstein said Villagran received 77.8% of the delegates’ votes on Saturday to 22.2% for Culpepper, who was sued by the Adams County commissioners last fall on claims that she had not properly managed the county’s finances.

In January, the county’s finance director warned that because of a lack of communication between Culpepper’s office and other county departments, an annual audit may not get completed on time, resulting in the possible withholding of millions of dollars in county property tax proceeds by the state.

The commissioners want a judge to hand management of her department over to a receiver. The lawsuit has not yet been adjudicated.

Culpepper, through her attorney, told The Denver Post on Tuesday that she is “considering her options both electorally and legally.”