Boulder 2026 Voter Guide: What to know before Election Day, Nov. 3

Jump to a section of the guide:

What’s at stake • Mayoral candidates • City council candidates • Compare candidates on the issues • Candidates’ positions on ballot measures • Endorsements • Ballot measures • Key dates • Register to vote • How to vote • RTD candidates • Judges up for retention •  Election coverage

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What’s at stake

Boulder voters will choose a mayor and five city councilmembers on Nov. 3. The election could reshape the council’s political balance as the city faces ongoing budget pressure, declining tax revenue and criticism over its spending — and prepares to welcome Sundance.

They will also decide whether to authorize $400 million in debt for city facilities, funded by a new property tax — a proposal that has become a central dividing issue among candidates. Other local measures address vacant homes, firefighters’ bargaining rights, childcare costs and the size of the county commission.

Mayor Aaron Brockett and three incumbent city councilmembers — Tina Marquis, Ryan Schuchard and Tara Winer — are running to keep their seats. Councilmember Taishya Adams is also running for mayor rather than reelection to her council seat. 

Adams’ mayoral run and former Councilmember Mark Wallach’s resignation guarantee at least two new faces on the nine-member council in 2027. 

City spending and the $400 million bond

A central dividing issue in the 2026 election is a $400 million property tax ballot measure that would pay for replacing and repairing aging city buildings. Candidates’ positions reflect their attitudes toward city spending and trust in the current city government.

Open Boulder opposes the measure, while the Boulder Progressives support it. (Jump down to learn more about Boulder’s political groups.)

Mayor Brockett and Councilmembers Marquis, Winer and Schuchard support the measure, as do Sam Fuqua, Jamillah Richmond, Rachel Rose Isaacson and Fred Smith. Supporters say the measure is necessary to address deferred maintenance of city buildings before costs rise further.

Councilmember Taishya Adams and challengers Aquiles La Grave, Ryan Jamieson, Jill Grano, Benita Duran, David Martus, Scott Rendleman, Lynn Segal, Jamo Goldstein and Lisa Ann Jacobs oppose the measure, with many calling for more scrutiny of city spending.

Both Adams and Isaacson have changed their positions on the issue, Isaacson for the bond and Adams against it. Lee Gilbert did not take a position on the issue.

Other priorities

Candidates share some broad goals on housing affordability, homelessness, wildfire preparedness and supporting local businesses, but differ on how to achieve them.

Some disagree on how much housing density is appropriate, whether the city should require owners of existing homes in high-risk areas to protect their properties against wildfire, and whether they would support a Downtown Development Authority taxing district, which this year’s council did not advance.

The city’s contract with Flock for automated license plate readers has also split candidates, with nearly all challengers calling for the city to end the contract and several incumbents either supporting its continuation or urging further review before deciding its future.

The council’s political balance

Candidates endorsed by the Boulder Progressives have held a narrow majority on council, but those endorsements do not translate into a consistent voting bloc. Several councilmembers also vote with colleagues backed by other groups.

Following Wallach’s resignation, the eight remaining councilmembers have split 4-4 on several recent decisions.

The 2026 election could strengthen a progressive voting bloc, solidify a 2025 move toward a more moderate council or maintain a relatively even balance.

Candidates’ positions on specific issues may tell voters more than their endorsements. Read their questionnaire responses to compare their proposals.

Mayoral candidates

Six candidates are running for mayor. Boulder uses ranked-choice voting for this race. BRL has not yet published a full profile of mayoral candidate Lisa Ann Jacobs because little biographical or campaign information is publicly available.

Click on a candidate’s photo to learn more.

How ranked-choice voting works

This year will be Boulder’s second direct mayoral election using ranked-choice voting. Voters will rank as many of the mayoral candidates as they want, in order of preference.

If a candidate receives more than half the first-choice votes, that candidate wins. Otherwise, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Ballots for that candidate transfer to each voter’s next-ranked candidate who is still in the race. The process repeats until a candidate has a majority of the votes.

City council candidates

Thirteen candidates are running for five council seats. Voters will vote for up to five candidates. The five candidates with the highest vote totals win. This race does not use ranked-choice voting.

Click on a candidate’s photo to learn more.

Compare candidates on the issues

In the lead-up to the Nov. 3 election, Boulder Reporting Lab asked each of the 19 mayoral and city council candidates to answer our questionnaire. The questions were selected from more than 200 reader submissions.

Choose a topic to read candidates’ answers side by side:

1. Affordable housing: How would candidates make housing more affordable for people who work in Boulder?
2. Homelessness: What new approach would candidates try, and how would they pay for it?
3. City spending and aging buildings: How would candidates address budget cuts and the city’s facility needs?
4. Flock license plate readers: Would candidates end Boulder’s use of automated license plate readers?
5. Wildfire preparedness: Would candidates require homeowners to protect their properties, and what would they do about wildfire-related power shutoffs?
6. Local businesses and downtown: How would candidates help businesses stay open, reduce vacancies and bring more customers downtown?
7. First-year priorities: What is one specific thing candidates hope to accomplish by November 2027?

Candidates’ positions on ballot measures

Where do Boulder’s mayoral and city council candidates stand on this year’s ballot measures? Use the charts below to compare their positions at a glance.

Mayoral candidates

City council candidates

Endorsements

Five local political groups made endorsements this year: the Boulder Progressives, Better Boulder, Open Boulder, PLAN-Boulder County and the Boulder Democratic Socialists of America (Boulder DSA).

The groups have overlapping priorities and sometimes endorse the same candidates. Boulder DSA emphasizes labor and other left-wing causes. The Boulder Progressives focus on housing density and climate-friendly transportation. Better Boulder advocates for dense, walkable development. PLAN-Boulder County emphasizes limiting development and preserving open space, while Open Boulder has recently focused on oversight of city spending. 

Open Boulder and the Boulder Progressives are the only two of these groups reporting spending money. 

Some groups have endorsed more than five council candidates. Voters can vote up to five.

Boulder Progressives

• Mayor: Aaron Brockett
• Council:  Sam Fuqua, Jill Grano, Rachel Rose Isaacson, Tina Marquis, Jamillah Richmond, Ryan Schuchard

Open Boulder

• Mayor: Declined to endorse after its board could not reach a consensus
• Council: Benita Duran, Jill Grano, Ryan Jamieson, Tina Marquis, Tara Winer

PLAN-Boulder County

• Mayor: Aquiles La Grave. Second choice: Taishya Adams. Third choice: Jamo Goldstein
• Council: Ryan Jamieson, Tina Marquis, Dave Martus, Ryan Schuchard, Tara Winer

 Better Boulder

• Mayor: Aaron Brockett
• Council: Sam Fuqua, Jill Grano, Ryan Jamieson,  Tina Marquis, Jamillah Richmond, Ryan Schuchard, Tara Winer 

Boulder DSA

• Mayor: Taishya Adams
• Council: Jamillah Richmond

Ballot measures

The measures that appear on your ballot depend on where you live. City measures apply to City of Boulder voters; countywide measures apply throughout Boulder County; community and district measures apply only within their respective boundaries.

Find your sample ballot to see which measures you will vote on.

Jump to: City of Boulder measures • Countywide measures • Community and district measures

City of Boulder measures

City residents will vote on four measures.

2J: Residential vacancy tax

This measure would impose an annual tax on vacant homes to help fund city services and encourage owners to rent or sell their homes. The ballot language applies to homes occupied for 183 days or fewer per year.

The cost to property owners would be $4,000 a year initially for each taxable vacant home, increasing annually with inflation to a maximum of $7,000. It would affect an estimated 500 to 1,000 homes. The tax would take effect Jan. 1, 2028; the ballot language estimates $6 million in revenue that year.

The council voted 7-1 to refer the vacancy tax to the ballot.

What your vote means:

• Yes: Pass a new tax on qualifying vacant homes.
• No: Do not create the vacancy tax.

Read more: Why Boulder is considering a tax on vacant homes

2K: Recreation and safety bond

Boulder voters will decide whether to increase city debt by up to $400 million, with a maximum repayment cost of $650 million, including interest, to fund repairs and replacements of high-priority city buildings.

The debt would be paid off with a new property tax.

If the city bonds for the full amount, the owner of a $1 million home would pay about $400 more in annual property taxes. The owner of commercial property valued at $1 million would pay about $1,600 a year. When the debt is paid in full, the additional property tax would end.

The city has listed several projects it intends to pay for with the money, though the specific allocations are not binding. They include:

• $170 million for the Public Safety Center and 911 Dispatch
• $100 million for the Municipal Services Center in East Boulder
• $72 million for the North Boulder Recreation Center
• $65 million for the South Boulder Recreation Center
• $30 million for the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building
• $5 million for Fire Station 1 near the city’s downtown and $2 million for Fire Station 5 in North Boulder

City council voted unanimously to place the measure on the ballot, despite a survey of 400 likely voters showing 45% support. Councilmembers said it was the best way to address the critical maintenance backlog.

What your vote means:

• Yes: Allow the city to borrow up to $400 million for building projects and levy a property tax to repay the debt.
• No: Do not approve the new debt or property tax. The city would need another way to fund those projects; most would not take place in the short term.

Read more: What to know about Boulder’s $400 million property tax measure

2L: Firefighters’ collective bargaining rights

If passed, this ballot measure would add a guarantee of collective bargaining rights for full-time fire department employees to the city charter. These rights currently exist in a contract, but not in the charter.

What your vote means:

• Yes: Add firefighters’ collective bargaining rights to the city charter.
• No: Do not add firefighters’ collective bargaining rights to the city charter. A no vote would not itself remove their existing contractual rights.

2M: City debt limit

This measure would raise the city’s borrowing limit by changing the property-value calculation used to set it.

The city’s current general obligation debt is limited to 3% of total assessed property value. The measure would keep the 3% limit but apply it to actual property value, which is over ten times higher than assessed value.

The city’s current debt limit is $150.7 million for debt repaid solely through property taxes. The measure would increase that limit to about $1.5 billion.

If the $400 million bond measure (2K) passed and this measure did not, the city could only borrow up to $150.7 million. If this measure passed and the $400 million bond measure did not, any new debt would still need to be approved by voters.

According to the city, using actual value is consistent with how the state and most municipalities calculate debt limits.

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What your vote means:

• Yes: Calculate the debt limit using actual property value, increasing the amount the city could borrow.
• No: Continue calculating the limit using assessed property value.

See the city’s official ballot language for all four measures.

Countywide measures

1A: Early childhood care and education tax

This ballot measure asks voters to increase property taxes by 2.579 mills — meaning the owner of a home valued at $1 million would pay about $163 more in taxes each year — to help fund childcare in Boulder County.

The projected $30 million in annual revenue would be used to subsidize childcare for families making less than $150,000 a year and help providers expand the number of available slots.

Supporters say the money is desperately needed amid a childcare crisis. Infant and toddler care costs between $20,000 and $23,000 per child annually in Boulder County, consuming an estimated 24% to 35% of a family’s household income, according to the campaign supporting the measure. Survey data from the campaign also suggests that licensed providers have space for only about one in four infants who need care in the county.

Boulder County commissioners voted unanimously to advance the measure to the ballot. The measure has many endorsers and, as of publication, no organized opposition campaign.

What your vote means:

• Yes: Increase property taxes by 2.579 mills to fund childcare subsidies and expand childcare availability.
• No: Do not approve this property tax increase.

Read more: What Boulder County’s proposed $30 million-a-year childcare tax would do.

200 and 201: Expanding the county commission and choosing how members are elected

These two questions work together. Question 200 asks whether to expand the Boulder County Board of Commissioners from three members to five. Question 201 asks how a five-member board should be elected if the expansion passes.

Big Tent Boulder County collected more than 18,000 signatures to place the expansion proposal on the ballot; it is the only resident-led ballot measure at the county or city level.

Its proponents argue that expanding the board would improve representation and collaboration, and make it less likely that a single commissioner becomes a swing vote. Opponents, including two current county commissioners, say more commissioners would slow decision-making and add an estimated $500,000 in salary costs to the county at a time when it is making significant budget cuts.

Currently, each commissioner must live in one of three districts, but all three are elected by voters countywide.

Question 200 — what your vote means:

• Yes: Expand the board from three commissioners to five.
• No: Keep the three-member board.

Question 201 — choose one election model:

• Five districts: Each commissioner would live in a separate district and be elected only by voters in that district.
• Three districts plus two at-large seats: Three commissioners would be elected by voters in their respective districts. Two additional commissioners would be elected by voters countywide.

Big Tent has not taken a position on which model it prefers.

Proponents of five districts say it would increase representation of unincorporated areas of the county and ensure the cities of Boulder and Longmont don’t have disproportionate sway. Proponents of the three-district, two-at-large model argue that it offers more representation, as it allows each voter to vote for three commissioners — one district commissioner and two at-large commissioners.

Read more: The proposal to expand the county commission and a debate over the two election models

Community and district measures

These measures appear only on ballots for voters within the affected boundaries.

Niwot: Incorporation and related measures

The residents of Niwot will vote on three governance questions this year: whether Niwot should be incorporated, whether a home-rule charter commission should be formed and who should serve on the nine-member commission.

The charter commission question depends on approval of incorporation; electing commission members also depends on approval of the commission’s formation.

Voters will also decide five financial measures, including whether to authorize a 2.5% sales tax, a 4-mill property tax and $15 million in new debt for road maintenance and other transportation infrastructure. Proponents estimate the annual cost for an average Niwot household at $756.

Currently, Niwot is in unincorporated Boulder County and is governed by the county. Proponents, including many local business owners, argue that creating a local government will give residents more control over policy and allow the community to raise money to repair neighborhood roads that are a low county priority.

Opponents say small-town governments are often short on money and worry that a new Niwot government could raise taxes or invite unwelcome development to cover its costs.

If Niwot incorporates, it will become responsible for expenses the county currently covers, including roads, stoplights and bridges.

What your incorporation vote means:

• Yes: Niwot creates its own town or city government, becoming responsible for municipal governance and expenses, and gaining more authority to set policy and collect taxes.
• No: Niwot remains unincorporated, governed by Boulder County.

Read more: What incorporation would mean for Niwot

6A: Eldorado Springs wastewater improvements

Residents of the Eldorado Springs Public Improvement District are being asked whether to authorize up to $1 million in new debt to pay for improvements to the area’s wastewater treatment plant.

The debt would be paid off with assessments imposed on benefiting properties within the district.

What your vote means:

• Yes: Authorize the debt and assessments on benefiting properties to fund wastewater treatment plant improvements.
• No: Do not authorize this debt or the assessments to repay it.

6B and 6C: Sombrero Ranch and Summerlin road repairs

The Sombrero Ranch and Summerlin communities are being asked whether to increase property taxes to resurface neighborhood roads.

Sombrero Ranch would see a tax of up to 14.47 mills and Summerlin up to 17.34 mills.

What your vote means:

• Yes: Increase property taxes in the affected district to pay for road resurfacing.
• No: Do not approve the proposed property tax increase.

Key dates

• Oct. 2: Ballots were mailed and 24-hour drop boxes opened.
• Oct. 19: Vote centers begin opening for in-person voting, registration and voter assistance.
• Oct. 26: Last day to register and still receive a ballot by mail; last day to request a replacement ballot by mail; and the county’s recommended last day to mail your completed ballot.
• Nov. 3: Election Day. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. If voting in person, you must be in line by 7 p.m.

You can register and vote in person through Election Day. Postmarks do not count: Your ballot must arrive by the deadline.

Register to vote

You can vote in Colorado elections if you:

• Are at least 18 years old on Election Day.
• Are a United States citizen.
• Have lived in Colorado for at least 22 days before the election.

People currently serving a sentence of incarceration for a felony conviction cannot vote. People on parole or probation, those detained in jail before trial and those serving misdemeanor sentences can vote, according to the Colorado Secretary of State.

Register to vote or update your registration online. You can also register by mail or in person. Once vote centers open, you can register and vote during the same visit.

Make sure your voter registration lists your current address. Check or update your registration here.

If you’re a CU Boulder student, the county’s student voting guide explains how to register and choose the address you use for voting.

How to vote

Return your ballot by mail

If you’re mailing in your ballot, Boulder County recommends mailing it by Oct. 26. After that, use a drop box or vote center to make sure it arrives on time.

Use a ballot drop box

Dropping your ballot in a designated box is one of the easiest options, especially if you prefer not to mail it. Find a 24-hour ballot drop box near you.

Vote in person or get help at a vote center

Visit a vote center to vote in person, register, update your registration, replace a lost ballot or get voting assistance.

Locations open on different dates. Check the county’s website for hours before you go.

Opening Oct. 19:

• Boulder: Boulder County Clerk and Recorder, 1750 33rd St.
• Lafayette: Southeast County Community Hub, 1755 S. Public Road
• Longmont: St. Vrain Community Hub, 515 Coffman St.

Opening Oct. 26:

• Boulder: University Memorial Center, 1669 Euclid Ave.

Opening Oct. 30:

• Boulder: Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave.
• Boulder: NoBo Library, 4500 13th St.
• Gunbarrel: Gunbarrel Library, 6500 Lookout Road
• Lafayette: Lafayette Public Library, 775 Baseline Road
• Longmont: Lashley Street Station, 1200 Lashley St.
• Longmont: Longmont Fire Station No. 5, 617 Barberry Drive
• Louisville: Louisville Recreation Center, 900 W. Via Appia Way
• Erie: Erie Community Center, 450 Powers St.

Opening Nov. 2:

• Boulder: CU Boulder’s Williams Village, 500 30th St.
• Boulder: South Boulder Recreation Center, 1360 Gillaspie Drive
• Longmont: Front Range Community College classroom building, 2121 Miller Drive
• Longmont: Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road

Previously opened locations remain available through Election Day.

RTD candidates

Voters in Regional Transportation Board District O will choose a new representative on the RTD board of directors this year. District O encompasses most of Boulder County, with the exception of Longmont and Lafayette.

Two candidates are running for the seat: Audrey DeBarros, the executive director of Commuting Solutions, and Jack Rosenthal, a software engineer. 

The winner will join RTD’s 15-member board as the agency confronts post-pandemic ridership declines, financial pressures and service cuts. At the same time, RTD is working to complete long-promised rail service between Boulder and Denver.

Rosenthal has endorsements from many local Boulder politicians, including Boulder County’s District Attorney Michael Dougherty, state Sen. Judy Amabile, state Rep. Junie Joseph and County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann, as well as the Boulder Progressives and the ATU Local 1001, the union for RTD operators and mechanics. 

DeBarros is endorsed by Rep. Joe Neguse and several current or former RTD board members, including the current District O representative, Lynn Guissinger, and Boulder Chamber CEO and former RTD vice chair John Tayer, former RTD chair and Louisville mayor Chuck Sisk and current RTD Chairman Patrick O’Keefe.

DeBarros cites her deep experience working in transit policy through Commuting Solutions. Rosenthal describes himself as a transit advocate, and says he is running to fix financial and service issues he observes as a daily RTD rider.

The candidates have described their positions in questionnaires from Community Cycles and Denverite. Boulder Reporting Lab will have a story on the race later this month.

Judges up for retention

Below, Boulder Reporting Lab summarizes the performance evaluations for six local judges up for retention. All six were found to meet performance standards.

Performance reviews are based on surveys of attorneys and non-attorneys, including jurors, court staff and citizens.

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20th Judicial District Court

• Judge Michael Kotlarczyk: Score: 3.6/4. All 18 of the attorneys surveyed found Judge Kotlarczyk , while two non-attorneys did not. He was ranked particularly highly for issuing prompt rulings, citing applicable law and applying it consistently, communicating clearly and maintaining a professional courtroom.
• Judge J. Chris Larson: Score: 3.2/4. All but one of 27 attorneys surveyed and six of 11 non-attorneys found Judge Larson Judge Larson was graded highly for fairness, demeanor and applying rules consistently and explaining his thinking. He received slightly lower scores for issuing prompt decisions.
• Judge Nancy Woodruff Salomone: Score: 3.2/4. 84% of attorneys and non-attorneys who work with Judge Salomone found she met performance standards. Her communication and diligence were ranked particularly highly. They characterized her as accommodating when alternatives to in-person hearings were appropriate, and provided reasons for her rulings.

Boulder County Court:

• Judge Elizabeth House Moulton Brodsky: Score: 3.5/4. Of 23 attorneys and 20 non-attorneys surveyed, all but three said Judge Brodsky . She ranked particularly highly for applying rules consistently, explaining her decisions, listening carefully during proceedings and respectful and professional behavior in court.
• Judge Monica Haenselman: Score: 2.5/4. Of 11 attorneys and 17 non-attorneys surveyed, nine attorneys said Judge Haenselman , while only about half of non-attorneys did. Non-attorneys gave Judge Haenselman lower scores for maintaining control over proceedings, explaining the reasoning for her decisions and showing compassion for people appearing in court. Attorneys ranked her highly for maintaining a professional demeanor, taking on complex cases, setting a reasonable case schedule and citing appropriate case law.
• Judge Zachary Ilya Malkinson: Score: 3.0/4. Of 16 attorneys and 13 non-attorneys surveyed, 75% of attorneys and 77% of non-attorneys found Judge Malkinson He received particularly high marks for issuing prompt decisions, speaking clearly to non-attorneys and maintaining a professional demeanor, with somewhat lower scores for fairness and impartiality.

More 2026 election coverage