Preliminary results are coming in for primary elections across the Western Slope. Ballots were due by 7:00 pm Tuesday with voter turnout fueled by local races.

State law passed last year moves the 2012 primary election in Colorado from August to June. The reason behind the change was to accommodate overseas voters, including soldiers, by giving them more time to turn their ballots in.

This year, June 26, the last Tuesday of the month, was 'Primary Day.'

Across the state, a handful of hotly contested state and congressional races dotted the ballot. But many local commissioner races in Delta, Montrose and Mesa counties were equally as tight.

All of the locally contested races, with the exception of one, were on the Republican ticket.

Mesa County contested races:
   County Commissioner District 1 - Republican
     Ken Henry - 5,706 votes (39.4%)
     John Justman - 8,183 votes (56.5%)

   County Commissioner District 3 - Republican
     Rose Pugliese - 7,470 votes (51.6%)
     Write-In - 5,503 votes (38%)

Montrose County contested races:
   County Commissioner District 1 - Republican
     Ron Henderson (i) - 2,195 votes (50.7%)
     Ed Ulibarri - 2,138 votes (49.3%)

   County Commissioner District 3 - Republican
     David White (i) - 2,214 votes (51.05%)
     John Haugsness - 2,123 votes (48.95%)

Delta County contested races:
   County Commissioner District 3 - Republican
     J. Mark Roeber - 2,274 votes (64%)
     Roger Bentley - 1,277 votes (36%)

   State House District 61 - Republican (78% precincts reporting)
     Debra Irvine - 1,786 votes (53%)
     David Justice - 1,585 votes (47%)

University Regents contested race:
   At-Large Seat - Republican (95% precincts reporting)
     Brian Davidson - 150,068 votes (61%)
     Matt Arnold - 94,922 votes (39%)

Congressional contested race:
   U.S. House District 3 - Libertarian (94% precincts reporting)
     Gregory Gilman - 150 votes (60%)
     Gaylon Kent - 102 votes (40%)

All other races on the ballots in these three counties were not contested and candidates automatically move on to the November ballot.

The results of Tuesday's primary elections still need to be audited and canvassed before they are certified official by July 9.