The appointment of new Grand Junction City Council member Sam Susuras may have involved illegal voting methods, according to open meetings law and a prosecutor handling a lawsuit recently levied against the Fort Morgan City Council for similar conduct.

Grand Junction City Council members interviewed six candidates Thursday to replace Linda Romer Todd, who announced last month she was resigning from the council. All questions for the candidates were asked and answered in a public format, which is in accord with Colorado Open Meetings Law. Council members violated the law, however, when they opted to vote for their chosen candidate by paper ballot without announcing to the meeting audience whom each person voted for, said Denver attorney Steve Zansberg, who represents the Colorado Press Association.