Election Day is November 4th!
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Election Day is November 4th! *
This voter guide is designed to provide clear, concise information about the issues at stake in our community. Every single vote matters, and your participation is key to driving meaningful change. We hope you’ll use the guide below to help you make informed decisions on all issues and all candidates appearing on your ballot this year.
The 2025 General Election will be held on November 4th.
All ballots must be mailed on or before October 28th, after that date you must use an official drop box or vote in person!
You can find more information about where to vote/how to cast your ballot here.
Boulder City Council
City of Boulder Ballot Issues
Boulder County Ballot Issues
Colorado Statewide Ballot Issues
Boulder Progressives
is Proud to Endorse
Proven, Innovative Leaders!
Lauren Folkerts
Lauren Folkerts
Thoughtful City Planning & Strong Workforce
An award winning architect and current Mayor Pro Tem, Lauren brings her housing expertise, sustainable design skills, and bold community vision to deliver results.
In her first term, Lauren successfully led efforts to make our housing options more affordable and diverse, and has championed policies that will result in more walkable, family-friendly vibrant neighborhoods.
Lauren led the charge to raise Boulder’s minimum wage, and is focused on making our community more affordable for all.
Matt Benjamin
Matt Benjamin
Good Governance & Sustainable Small Business
An astronomer and former head of CU’s Fiske Planetarium, on Council, Matt has been a leader in delivering protected bike lanes and safer transportation options for everyone across the city.
In his first term, Matt championed Boulder electric bike voucher program, supported increasing Boulder’s minimum wage, and has been a leader on policies that expand access to affordable housing.
Matt is focused on enacting bold climate action and protecting the community from fire risks, as well as being a strong voice for the business community.
Nicole Speer
Nicole Speer
Accessible Housing & Fair Labor
A Ph.D cognitive neuroscientist who directed CU Boulder’s brain imaging facility, Nicole brings science and compassion together to champion policies that strengthen and progress our community.
Nicole championed moving our local elections to even years to boost participation, helped stand up Boulder’s first library district, and prioritizes renter protections, affordable housing, climate resilience, and ensuring that everyone has a chance to be heard and represented in city decisions.
We’re proud of the incredible work our community has done to come together though wildfires, a global pandemic, an uncertain federal government, and funding cuts to many of our most important local institutions.
Through it all, our community has stood strong, and stood together.
We know these three incumbents will continue to build on the important work of the past four years in their next term, and together we can create a Boulder that works for everyone.
BUILDING ON PROGRESS:
Your city should meet your needs.
Lauren, Matt, and Nicole have spent the past four years making Boulder work for you.
Here is some of the work they’ve done over the past four years to make build our community:
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Housing
• Made ADUs legal across the city
• Updated occupancy limits
• Adjusted zoning to allow more duplexes
• Simplified building requirements
• Piloted a guaranteed income program
• Created more than 4,000 permanently affordable homes
• Installed the first modular homes in the Ponderosa community
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Homelessness
• Funded new units of Permanent Supportive Housing
• Supported Building Home, a peer-led program for newly housed residents with a 95% retention rate
• Opened a trauma-informed Day Services Center
• Expanded access to clinicians and case managers through CIRT and CARE
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Climate and Wildfire Protection
• Including climate in every decision, including equity-focused flood and stormwater plans
• Advanced flood protections in key areas of Boulder
• Reached the local energy generation goal seven years ahead of schedule
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 24%
• Improved wildfire and evacuation planning funding for Boulder’s future
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Transportation
• Improved intersections for accessibility and safety (new crosswalks, curb ramps, and signal timing)
• Introduced traffic calming measures in neighborhoods
• Implemented the Core Arterial Network (CAN) to redesign Boulder’s most dangerous streets
• Approved and built bike lanes and multi-use paths in key areas of Boulder
• Expanded e-bike access
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Effective Governance and Democracy
• Moved Council elections to even years, doubling voter turnout
• Raised Council pay so working people can represent their city
• Implemented outcomes-based budgeting: funding what works
• Increased community input through public engagement projects like the Community Connectors Program
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Economic Vitality
• Created a plan to raise Boulder’s minimum wage
• Simplified permitting and licensing for small businesses
• Secured the Sundance Film Festival, which will drive future investments in Boulder
• Put covid-era protections in place to minimize the fallout of the nationwide shutdown and to drive traffic to businesses in creative and safe ways
BUILDING TOMORROW:
There’s still more to be done!
Matt, Lauren, and Nicole have the experience and plans to continue building a better Boulder.
Here’s what you can unlock with your vote:
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Housing (NEXT)
• Update the Boulder Valley Comprehensive plan to emphasize Boulder’s priorities: family, transit, and economic inclusion
• Improve tenant protections
• Fill the missing middle-income housing gap
• Plan for future housing around transit-oriented communities
• Implement vacancy tax on empty homes
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Homelessness (NEXT)
• New plan to reach “Functional Zero” unsheltered homelessness
• Tackle long episodes of homelessness (>1 year)
• Elevate voices of service providers
• Continued emphasis on outcome-focused strategies
• Increase the number of short-term affordable housing solutions
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Climate and Wildfire Protection (NEXT)
• Advocate for Fire-Wise upgrades to homes at the time of sale
• Accelerate fire mitigation in the wild lawn-urban interface
• Create city-backed incentives to fire-harden homes
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Transportation (NEXT)
• Work with RTD to expand transit routes within Boulder
• Continue to improve the safety and access of our transportation infrastructure
• Improve neighborhood and street safety through the Core Arterial Network
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Effective Governance and Democracy (NEXT)
• Ensure a connected, present council that listen to your needs
• Create budget protections and strategies for the changing federal landscape
• Continuing to improve our local and regional partnerships (county, RTD, etc.)
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Economic Vitality (NEXT)
• Simplify permitting and reduce fees to open, grow, and adapt businesses
• Create adaptive reuse policies for vacant office spaces
• Support infrastructure changes to accommodate large, global audiences such as Sundance
YES: City of Boulder Ballot Question 8710 &8711 - Extension of an existing .3 percent community, culture, resilience, and safety sales and use tax & authorizing the increase of debt to build and maintain capital improvements.
This ballot issue will make permanent the city's existing 0.3% Community, Culture, Resilience & Safety (CCRS) sales and use tax, which is currently set to expire in 2036.
Approved originally in 2014 and extended in 2017 and 2021, this tax funds a broad array of capital infrastructure projects:
road and bridge repairs
fire and police facility upgrades
bike lanes
recreation centers
trail improvements
10% set aside for grants to local nonprofits.
Permanent extension is projected to raise approximately $15 million annually
Authorizes issuance of up to $262 million in bonds to accelerate completion of overdue capital projects
YES: Boulder County Ballot Issue 1A - Open Space Sales and Use Tax Extension
The Boulder County Open Space Sales and Use Tax Extension asks voters to continue the existing 0.15% sales tax for another ten years, without raising taxes. Revenue from this tax would continue to fund the county’s open space program, which is responsible for acquiring new lands, improving existing properties, and managing and maintaining trails, habitats, and recreational areas. Since the 1970s, this tax has been a central source of funding for Boulder County’s open space system. All revenue and any investment earnings from the tax count as a voter-approved revenue change under TABOR, meaning the county can keep and use the full proceeds without refund limitations.
YES: Boulder County Ballot Issue 1B - Mental and Behavioral Health Sales and Use Tax
The Boulder County Mental and Behavioral Health Sales and Use Tax ask voters to approve an additional sales and use tax for five years of 0.15% for the purpose of addressing unmet needs of youth, adults, families, unhoused individuals, and older adults in Boulder County with or at risk of mental health and substance use disorders by providing mental health crisis services; suicide prevention and intervention; mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery; treatment services for unhoused individuals; and assistance finding appropriate services through community-based organizations, governmental entities, and other options; and shall the revenues and the earnings on the investment of the proceeds of such tax, regardless of amount, constitute a voter-approved revenue change; all in accordance with Board of County Commissioners’ Resolution No. 2025-038.
YES: Proposition LL - Healthy School Lunches (Retention)
See Below
YES: Proposition MM - Healthy School Lunches (Expansion)
The Healthy School Meals for All program allows public School Food Authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to provide free meals to all students under the previously approved Proposition FF (2022). If at least one of Proposition LL or MM is approved by Colorado voters, the law will extend the local school purchasing program, which is set to repeal after fiscal year 2025-2026. This part of the program lets schools purchase food from local farmers and ranchers. If the measures don’t pass, cost-cutting measures would likely mean not all schools would get money to pay for free lunches for all.
Healthy School Lunches - LL (Retention Measure) will allow the state to retain and spend excess revenue originally collected under Proposition FF, instead of refunding it to high-income earners.
Healthy School Lunches - MM (Expansion Measure) will allow state income tax deduction limits for households earning $300,000+ to be reduced, generating about $95 million annually to fully fund the free school meals program.
