Longmont council advances ranked-choice voting ballot questions in 6-1 vote
The council directed staff to return with ordinances referring a ranked-choice voting question and a contingent council-term question to the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot.
Longmont City Council voted 6-1 on July 28 to direct staff to return with two ordinances referring charter questions to the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot: one on ranked-choice voting beginning in 2029 and another on re-staggering council terms if voters approve the voting measure. Council Member Diane Crist dissented.
The official July 28 council packet records the motion by Council Member Jake Marsing, seconded by Susie Hidalgo-Fahring. It lists Hidalgo-Fahring, Sean McCoy, Alex Kalkhofer, Marsing, Matthew Popkin and Crystal Prieto as voting in favor and says the second reading is scheduled for Aug. 11.
The vote advanced the referral process; it did not adopt ranked-choice voting or change council terms. Both questions still require final approval. The city's council agenda and minutes page lists the Aug. 11 meeting.
What the proposed charter changes would do
The ranked-choice proposal would add Charter Section 2.10 and require the city's elective officers to be elected using a ranked voting method beginning in November 2029, if certified election equipment is available and the Colorado secretary of state has promulgated applicable rules. Otherwise, the draft allows a contest to use plurality voting.
The proposed ballot title asks:
SHALL THE CITY OF LONGMONT HOME RULE CHARTER BE AMENDED BY ADOPTING A NEW SECTION 2.10 OF THE CHARTER TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING (RANKED VOTING METHODS) WHERE POSSIBLE TO ELECT FUTURE MAYORS AND COUNCILMEMBERS OF THE CITY OF LONGMONT STARTING IN NOVEMBER 2029? YES / NO
The second question would amend Charter Section 3.6 to put the three at-large council seats in one election cycle and the three ward seats in the other. The transition would shorten the term of the at-large council member elected to a full term in 2027 and the Ward 2 council member elected in 2029 to two years. Other than the mayor, council members would then serve four-year terms, according to the proposed language.
The re-staggering question is contingent on passage of the ranked-choice question; if voters reject that measure, the second question would fail as well.
What happens next
The proposed ordinances say the governing body must publish election notice within 30 days after adoption, with the election occurring 60 to 120 days after notice. An approved charter amendment would be filed with the city clerk and Colorado secretary of state within 20 days and take effect on filing.
As of July 29, 2026, no final ordinance numbers, final text or clerk or Secretary of State filing record had been located. The reporting record also does not establish a separate statutory final ballot-title deadline for these council referrals.
Staff materials say the city has requested additional budget funding for election and voter-education costs associated with ranked-choice voting, but do not specify an amount, outreach calendar, materials or translation plans.
The Aug. 11 second reading is scheduled, not completed, and the ballot questions are not final until the council completes the ordinance process.