{"id":395,"date":"2026-06-15T05:33:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T05:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bouldermovingguide.com\/?p=395"},"modified":"2026-06-15T05:33:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T05:33:13","slug":"meet-the-candidates-for-boulder-county-treasurer-in-the-2026-democratic-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bouldermovingguide.com\/?p=395","title":{"rendered":"Meet the candidates for Boulder County treasurer in the 2026 Democratic primary"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Boulder County voters will choose a new county treasurer this year, selecting the official responsible for overseeing county investments, collecting property taxes and managing other financial operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more Boulder bet $34 million to land Sundance. High lodging prices are raising concerns.<\/a><\/p>\n

Two Democrats are vying for the seat: former Boulder City Councilmember and attorney Rachel Friend and Superior Town Councilmember and real estate broker Jenn Kaaoush. Because no Republican filed for the race, the winner of the June 30 primary will become the county\u2019s next treasurer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Current Treasurer Paul Weissmann, who has held the position for 11 years, told Boulder Reporting Lab that the job is largely an administrative position, with little decision-making capacity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s very little you could do outside of what you\u2019re told to do,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s really [about] the comfort level of being an administrator and following the law, and making sure that everything happens on time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weissmann said most of his day-to-day work is also handled by staff, with a few exceptions, like dealing with bankruptcies and answering court summons.<\/p>\n

He said he told both Friend and Kaaoush that \u201ctheir biggest job is keeping the staff happy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last thing you want in a place like this, a small office, is staff and whoever the treasurer is not getting along,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s mitigating what life really throws at folks, making sure that folks feel appreciated and they\u2019re happy with their work.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a March vote among Boulder County Democratic delegates to determine which candidates would appear on the ballot, Kaaoush received 48.1% support to Friend\u2019s 41.8%.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At that caucus, Friend highlighted her endorsements from former state Sen. Steve Fenberg and Sen. Judy Amabile of Boulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at who is supporting Rachel,\u201d Fenberg said. \u201cThe people who trust Rachel are people you trust as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more \ud83d\udcec Ballots are here. Meet the candidates.<\/a><\/p>\n

Friend also said she had been \u201crepeatedly battle-tested\u201d during her time on Boulder City Council, helping to manage the city\u2019s budget during the King Soopers shooting, the pandemic and major wildfires.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kaaoush emphasized her personal experience with financial hardship and a career focused on financial oversight and government systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not running because this position was a next step in a political career,\u201d Kaaoush said. \u201cI\u2019m running because I understand financial vulnerability and because I have spent decades learning how systems work so I can protect people when it matters most.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

In closing arguments at a June 11 debate run by the League of Women Voters, Friend emphasized a need for kindness within the office and Kaaoush pushed for going above and beyond the job requirements to serve the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love to repeat this line from Leslie Knope from [the TV show] Parks and Rec: \u2018What I hear when I\u2019m being yelled at is people caring loudly at me,\u2019\u201d Friend said. \u201cThese days in politics, we\u2019re often going for jugulars and fighting, and there is so much caring loudly. I can fight, but I think in this world we really need bridge builders and people who are kind to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will advocate for needed upgrades to serve the community. I will push for sensible change, but I will mostly work hard to create a good vibe for the staff and community members, and to have really outstanding service,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Kaaoush pushed for the treasurer\u2019s office to be more proactive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile funds are being cut at the state and federal level, and while our systems are being tested and our nonprofits are being pressed, anybody who is about to be elected into a paid government position better have a vision of doing more for the community than just the job requirements,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is something that I think is imperative, to make sure that we are being preventative and using the information in the office to help the community more than it\u2019s doing now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Boulder Reporting Lab sent questions to both candidates about how they plan to approach the role. Read their answers and their candidate profiles below:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more Simon Testa: Boulder County has 609 miles of trails. Cyclists can use 59% of them.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Questions we asked each candidate<\/h2>\n

Jump to candidate profiles:<\/strong>
Rachel Friend \u2022<\/strong> Jenn Kaaoush<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Motivation: <\/strong>Why do you want to serve as Boulder County treasurer?\u00a0<\/li>\n
  • Experience:<\/strong> What past professional, financial or management experience has prepared you for this role?\u00a0<\/li>\n
  • Leadership<\/strong>: How would you describe your leadership and management style?<\/li>\n
  • Management: <\/strong>Current Treasurer Paul Weissmann has said that one of the most important parts of the job is keeping staff happy. What managerial experience do you have, and how have you fostered positive and productive workplace cultures in the past?\u00a0<\/li>\n
  • Learning curve:<\/strong> Some aspects of the treasurer\u2019s role are unique to the office and difficult to learn before taking office. How would you approach getting up to speed in your first year of the job?\u00a0<\/li>\n
  • Qualifications:<\/strong> What sets you apart as a candidate, and why will this make you a better treasurer?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Former Boulder City Councilmember Rachel Friend and Superior Town Councilmember Jenn Kaaoush are competing to oversee county finances and property tax collection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":394,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2026-election"],"yoast_head":"\nMeet the candidates for Boulder County treasurer in the 2026 Democratic primary - Boulder Moving Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bouldermovingguide.com\/?p=395\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Meet the candidates for Boulder County treasurer in the 2026 Democratic primary - 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