Alonzo Payne wants to eliminate cash bail in the San Luis Valley, and as soon as he becomes the region’s top prosecutor in January, he’ll be in a prime position to do exactly that. Payne decided to challenge the incumbent district attorney in the Democratic primary in part because he saw people sit in jail for months because they couldn’t afford bond, while more affluent people charged with the same crimes were set free while they waited for trial. Despite the fact he has no prosecutorial experience, Payne — who’s unopposed in the general election — ran because he knew he’d have the ability to affect widespread change as district attorney. “I was getting really upset at the way things were being handled,” said Payne, who spent a brief stint as a public defender.