by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
New online resource helps residents navigate ballot measures, ranked-choice voting ahead of Nov. 4 election
FORT COLLINS – For the first time, Fort Collins voters can access a dedicated Voter Information Guide to help them prepare for the upcoming municipal election. The new resource, published by the City of Fort Collins, provides a clear and factual overview of all ten local ballot measures, along with a summary of what “yes” and “no” votes mean and concise pro/con statements for each item.
City Clerk Delynn Coldiron said the guide mirrors the state’s well-known “blue book,” but focuses specifically on local issues.
“Many voters are familiar with the state ‘blue book’ and similar guides that provide information on statewide ballot questions, but historically that has not been available for municipal ballot questions,” Coldiron said. “We hope Fort Collins voters will find this a helpful resource as they consider these questions.”
The guide—available in both English and Spanish—can be viewed at fcgov.com/elections. It also lists all City Council candidates and explains how ranked voting will be used in this year’s races for mayor and council districts with three or more candidates.
Ballot Measures and Voting Details
Voters in Districts 1, 3, and 5 will elect City Council representatives, while all Fort Collins residents will choose a new mayor and decide on 10 local ballot measures. These include:
- An extension of the Community Capital Improvement Program tax
- Six proposed City Charter amendments
- A City Referred Ballot Question about Civic Assembly recommendations for the former Hughes Stadium property
- Two citizen-initiated issues—one to extend the Natural Areas Tax and another concerning Hughes Stadium property use
Ballots are now being mailed to registered voters. Completed ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 4. Officials recommend returning ballots via official election drop boxes or delivering them directly to a Voter Service and Polling Center to ensure secure and timely processing. A complete list of locations is available at larimer.gov/clerk/elections/voting-and-drop-locations.
Understanding Ranked Voting
This year marks the first time ranked-choice voting has been used in Fort Collins elections. In races with three or more candidates, voters can rank their choices in order of preference. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the first-round votes, subsequent choices are counted in additional rounds until one candidate achieves a majority.
Because only two candidates are running in District 5, that race will proceed as a traditional election.
Voters can learn more about the ranked voting process, including a short explainer video, at fcgov.com/rankedvoting.
Fort Collins residents approved the ranked voting system in 2022, with 58.15% of voters in favor. The measure’s adoption was set to begin with the 2025 municipal election.
Source — City of Fort Collins