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Proponents Of Wolf Reintroduction Bill Watching Election Results Closely

LOUISVILLE, Colo. (CBS4) - Hours after the Presidential and Senate races in Colorado were called, one of the tightest state wide ballot issues was too close to call. By Wednesday morning that still remained the case and, passage of Proposition 114, which could reintroduce wolves into Colorado's western region, was ahead by a few thousand votes.

Wild Gray Timber Wolf Canis lupus Yellowstone National Park
A wild gray timber wolf in Yellowstone National Park. (credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus)

"Ultimately I know the voters of Colorado are with us. I remain confident that we will prevail," said Rob Edward, the President of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund. "Colorado needs wolves in order to get the deer and the elk so that our mountain systems can recover."

ELECTION RESULTS: See updated results from the 2020 general election in Colorado

Advocates have said the state needs to fast track the reintroduction of the apex predator to improve the health of the ecosystem. Proponents have said that ranchers and hunters will pay the real price of wolf reintroduction.

"Wolves are profound driver of ecological and genetic health," Edward said. "Seventy percent of Western Colorado belongs to us all as public lands, we all have a right to say what happens there. Ultimately what happens in our mountains becomes part of our water shed here on the front range. So we have a vested interest in the ecological health on the Western Slope."

Edward said he was on a Zoom call with about 30 other wolf advocates Tuesday night and knew a long night in a tight race was ahead.

A television ad ran during the election cycle opposed to the statewide ballot measure. CBS4 gave that ad a Reality Check:

Read the bill text.

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