{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Perry Will | image = Senator Perry Will (cropped).jpg | caption = Will in 2023 | office = Board of County Commissioners of Garfield County from the 2nd district | term_start = January 14, 2025 | term_end = | predecessor = John F. Martin | successor = | state_senate1 = Colorado | district1 = 5th | term_start1 = January 12, 2023 | term_end1 = January 8, 2025 | predecessor1 = Bob Rankin | successor1 = Marc Catlin | state_house2 = Colorado | district2 = 57th | term_start2 = February 5, 2019 | term_end2 = January 9, 2023 | predecessor2 = Bob Rankin | successor2 = Elizabeth Velasco | party = Republican | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = | profession = | spouse = | children = | education = | website = {{URL|https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/perry-will|Official website}} }}
'''Perry Will''' is an American politician and retired wildlife officer from the state of Colorado who currently serves on the Board of County Commissioners in Garfield County, Colorado, representing the Second District. Prior to this position, Will served as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. He later served in the Colorado State Senate, a position he was appointed to following the resignation of Bob Rankin.<ref name="Leg">{{Cite web|url= https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/perry-will|title=Representative Perry Will|publisher=Colorado General Assembly|access-date=June 28, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Perry_Will|title=Perry Will|publisher=Ballotpedia|access-date=June 28, 2020}}</ref>
Will was appointed to the State House following incumbent Bob Rankin's appointment to the State Senate. A vacancy committee met and chose Will from a field of four candidates, including Rankin's wife Joyce. Prior to his appointment to the legislature, Will had worked as a game warden with Colorado Parks and Wildlife for 43 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.postindependent.com/news/panel-appoints-parks-and-wildlife-supervisor-perry-will-to-hd-57-seat/|title= Panel appoints Parks and Wildlife supervisor Perry Will to HD 57 seat |website=Post Independent|author=Thomas Phippen|date=February 5, 2019|access-date=June 28, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aspentimes.com/news/local/perry-will-prepares-for-shift-from-wildlife-officer-to-legislator/|title= Perry Will prepares for shift from wildlife officer to legislator |website=The Aspen Times|author=Thomas Phippen|date=February 10, 2019|access-date=June 28, 2020}}</ref>
In the 2022 Colorado House of Representatives election, Will was defeated by Democrat Elizabeth Velasco.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Fish |first1=Sandra |last2=Paul |first2=Jesse |date=2022-11-16 |title=The eight Colorado legislative districts Democrats flipped from the GOP this year, from Colorado Springs to the Western Slope |url=http://coloradosun.com/2022/11/16/colorado-legisalture-democrats-seats-flipped/ |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=The Colorado Sun |language=en-US}}</ref> Following Bob Rankin's announced resignation from the State Senate on January 10, 2023, a vacancy committee selected Will to fill Rankin's seat. Will represented the newly-reapportioned Senate District 5.<ref name=Goodland>{{cite news |last=Goodland |first=Marianne |date=January 7, 2023 |title=Vacancy committee returns Perry Will to the General Assembly |url=https://gazette.com/politics/elections/vacancy-committee-returns-perry-will-to-the-general-assembly/article_555a079f-6dbf-5a7c-ac86-1ead55fe2852.html |work=The Gazette |location=Colorado Springs, Colorado |access-date=January 8, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108013908/https://gazette.com/politics/elections/vacancy-committee-returns-perry-will-to-the-general-assembly/article_555a079f-6dbf-5a7c-ac86-1ead55fe2852.html |archive-date=January 8, 2023}}</ref>
In January 2024, Will announced that he would not seek another term in the Colorado Senate. Instead, he ran for a seat on the Board of County Commissioners of Garfield County.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wenzler |first=Elliott |date=January 26, 2024 |title=State Sen. Perry Will won't run for re-election, instead kicks off county commissioner bid |url=https://www.postindependent.com/news/state-sen-perry-will-wont-run-for-re-election-instead-kicks-off-county-commissioner-bid/ |url-status=live |work=PostIndependent |location=Glenwood Springs, Colorado |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126172952/https://www.postindependent.com/news/state-sen-perry-will-wont-run-for-re-election-instead-kicks-off-county-commissioner-bid/ |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref> In the Republican primary election held June 25, 2024, he ran unopposed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/Garfield/121752/web.317647/#/detail/46?v=344921%2F |title=Colorado election results: June 25, 2024 primary election: Garfield County Commissioner District 2 Republican Party |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=July 16, 2024 |website=Colorado Secretary of State |publisher= |access-date=November 20, 2024 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Zander |first=Halle |date=October 22, 2024 |title=Vying to replace a longtime Garfield County commissioner, District 2 candidates share their opinions on local issues |url=https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/government/2024-10-22/vying-to-replace-a-longtime-garfield-county-commissioner-district-2-candidates-share-their-opinions-on-local-issues |url-status=live |work=Aspen Public Radio |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102124233/https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/government/2024-10-22/vying-to-replace-a-longtime-garfield-county-commissioner-district-2-candidates-share-their-opinions-on-local-issues |archive-date=November 2, 2024 |access-date=November 20, 2024}}</ref> In the general election held November 5, 2024, Will defeated Democratic candidate Caitlin Carey, winning 53.29% of the total votes cast.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/Garfield/122623/web.345435/#/detail/9?v=355112%2F |title=November 5, 2024 general election: Garfield County Commissioner District 2 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=November 15, 2024 |website=Colorado Secretary of State |publisher= |access-date=November 20, 2024 |quote=}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change |title = 2020 Colorado House of Representatives election, 57th District }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Perry Will (incumbent) | votes = 25,433 | percentage = 63.38% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Colin Wilhelm | votes = 14,692 | percentage = 36.62% }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 40,125 | percentage = 100% }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = Colorado Republican Party }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change |title = 2022 Colorado House of Representatives election, 57th District}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Elizabeth Velasco | votes = 19885 | percentage = 53.86%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Perry Will (incumbent) | votes = 17033 | percentage = 46.14%}} {{Election box total no change | votes = 36918 | percentage = 100%}} {{Election box gain with party link no change |winner = Colorado Democratic Party |loser = Colorado Republican Party }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *[https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/perry-will Legislative website] *[https://voteperrywill.com/ Campaign website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Will, Perry}} Category:Living people Category:Republican Party Colorado state senators Category:People from Garfield County, Colorado Category:Republican Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
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