You may think of July as the most patriotic time of year. But as the leaves fall and football season begins, the autumn breezes also usher in your opportunity to play a critical role in making decisions about your government. Nowhere do you have more say than with municipal elections.
Issues ranging from who governs the town to spending decisions are made by the voters and are often decided in margins as small as a few votes. So yes, your vote really matters. The city of Rifle municipal election is Sept. 10. Not October. Not November. Official ballots were mailed on Tuesday and should be hitting your mailbox any day now. Inside your packet you will find your official ballot, a secrecy sleeve with instructions and an official return envelope.
Rifle citizens will be voting on who will obtain or retain seats on City Council and two ballot questions. There are seven candidates running for three Council positions: Brian Condie, John Max Doose, Joe P. Elliott, Ed Green, Clint Hostettler, Raquel Mendizabal and Dana Wood.
All Rifle City Council seats are at-large positions and the top three candidates receiving the most votes will be elected to serve four year terms.
The two ballot questions voters will face relate to procedural provisions of the current Rifle Municipal Code. The first is an effort to move the municipal elections to November to coordinate with the State of Colorado elections.
The exact wording of the question is:
Ballot Question B
Shall Section 2.3 of the City of Rifle Home Rule Charter be amended to read as follows:
Regular City Elections shall be on the State of Colorado Coordinated Election in November in odd numbered years.
The second ballot question addresses the issue of the commencement time for newly elected Councilmembers. The current Charter provision mandates that the term for each newly elected Councilmember shall begin at 8:00pm on the first Monday following the municipal election. The new language would move that date to the first City Council organizational meeting which is set by ordinance. The question will appear on the ballot as follows:
Ballot Question A
Shall the first sentence of Section 3.4 of the City of Rifle Home Rule Charter be amended to read as follows:
Terms of the newly elected Councilmembers shall begin at the organizational meeting of the City Council following the Regular Municipal Election.
Election day is Sept. 10. Ballots must be received by the City Clerk by that date. Postmarks do not count as received dates. Submissions can be made by mail (you will need to put adequate postage on the envelope) or dropped off either at City Hall during normal business hours or by using the new 24 hour drop box located at the Police Department, 201 E. 18th St.
Remember, every ballot counts. If you have any questions about the ballot or the process, please contact the City Clerkâs Office at 970-665-6405.
Rifle Rapport is a periodic column featuring the people and projects of the city of Rifle. If you have suggestions for future articles, please contact city of Rifle Public Information Officer Kathy Pototsky at 970-665-6420 or kpototsky@rifleco.org.