Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Boulder Mayor & City Council Election 2026

6 of 9

council seats up

2 contests

19 candidates

Updated Oct 2, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Find a candidate

Mayor · 1 seat

Taishya AdamsCity Council member; term years 2023-202611sourced
Aaron BrockettIncumbentBoulder's mayor since 2021 and a former city council member and Planning Board chair. His fellow council members selected him as mayor in 2021, and voters elected him in 2023.10sourced
Jameson GoldsteinCU Boulder philosophy student and first-time candidate who grew up in Arvada. He has worked as a swim coach and sold educational software for a Boulder startup.5sourced
Aquiles La GraveEntrepreneur and co-founder of a company that connects beverage brands with hospitality venues. He has served on the Louisville Historic Preservation Commission and the Boulder Valley School District's Bond Oversight Committee.6sourced
Lisa Ann JacobsReal estate broker who lists M.D. and M.P.H. degrees on her campaign website. Her site says she is president of the Colorado Tenant Association LLC and the Colorado Event Association LLC.3sourced
Fred SmithLongtime Boulder resident running for mayor after four previous campaigns for city council. He campaigns under the name "The Grateful Fred."4sourced

City Council · Vote for up to 5

Every Boulder voter ranks the mayoral candidates and can vote for up to five council candidates citywide; the top five council finishers win. Three council members are not up.

4 notes on these statements

Lisa Ann Jacobs, Fred Smith and Lee Gilbert did not respond to Boulder Reporting Lab's candidate questionnaire. Boulder Reporting Lab questionnaire · Sep 29, 2026

Taishya Adams's council term ends this year; because she is running for mayor she cannot also seek reelection to her council seat. Boulder Reporting Lab candidate profile

Jameson Goldstein and Dave Martus did not attend the Boulder Chamber candidate forum on Aug. 26. Boulder Daily Camera · Aug 27, 2026

Boulder voters will also decide four city measures: the Recreation and Safety Bond, a debt limit charter change, a residential vacancy excise tax and firefighter bargaining rights. City of Boulder · Sep 28, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Matt BenjaminCity Council member; current term 2025-2028 (not on the 2026 ballot)7sourced Rob KaplanCity Council member; current term 2025-2028 (not on the 2026 ballot)5sourced Nicole SpeerCity Council member; current term 2025-2028 (not on the 2026 ballot)8sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decides$400 million Recreation and Safety Bond, Flock license-plate readers, Wildfire hardening for existing homes Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Vote Centers open for in-person voting

Mon, Oct 19, 2026

All key dates

What the next council decides

$400 million Recreation and Safety Bond

Where it standsThe council unanimously referred a $400 million bond, repaid through property taxes, to the Nov. 3 ballot to replace and repair city buildings.

What's on the tableIf voters approve it, the next council chooses which projects the money pays for; if not, it decides how to handle the maintenance backlog.

On Aug. 6, 2026, the council passed the bond referral ordinance 8-0. Boulder City Council action summary, Aug. 6, 2026 (2026 ballot measures, downtown development authority) · Aug 6, 2026
The city estimates the owner of a $1 million home would pay about $400 a year if the full amount is borrowed. Boulder Reporting Lab · Sep 29, 2026
The project list in the measure is not binding; examples include replacing the South Boulder Recreation Center and a new police and 911 facility. Boulder Reporting Lab · Aug 6, 2026
A June poll of about 400 likely voters found about 45% would support the measure. Boulder Reporting Lab · Sep 29, 2026

Flock license-plate readers

Where it standsBoulder has more than 40 Flock cameras; the city paused its search for a license-plate reader vendor to allow policy talks expected to run into spring 2027.

What's on the tableThe next council decides whether to set surveillance and data-sharing rules that would guide any future camera contract.

City staff have said the Flock contract is an administrative matter overseen by the city manager, and the council has so far declined to take up the issue. Boulder Reporting Lab questionnaire · Sep 29, 2026
Flock data is stored for 14 days. Boulder Reporting Lab questionnaire · Sep 29, 2026
In May 2026, Police Chief Steve Redfearn was sued over the city's use of the cameras. Boulder Reporting Lab questionnaire · Sep 29, 2026

Wildfire hardening for existing homes

Where it standsBoulder requires fire-resistant materials for new homes in its wildfire-risk zone, which covers about 16,000 homes; rules for existing homes are under discussion.

What's on the tableThe next council decides whether to require owners of existing homes and HOAs in high-risk areas to harden their properties.

In May 2025, the council unanimously approved fire-resistant material and landscaping requirements for new homes in wildfire zones. Boulder Reporting Lab questionnaire · Oct 1, 2026
In June 2025, the council expanded the wildland-urban interface to bring roughly 16,000 homes into the designated wildfire-risk zone. Boulder Reporting Lab questionnaire · Oct 1, 2026
Last December, Xcel Energy shut off power across large parts of Boulder twice in one week, affecting nearly 60,000 residents. Boulder Reporting Lab questionnaire · Oct 1, 2026

Area III Planning Reserve and housing

Where it standsIn February 2026 the council voted 7-2 that there is enough community need to keep considering extending city services into the Area III-Planning Reserve.

What's on the tableThe next council decides whether and how to plan, annex and develop the reserve, and how to rewrite Title 9, the land use code.

On Feb. 12, 2026, the council voted 7-2 to keep considering a Service Area Expansion Plan for the Area III-Planning Reserve; Taishya Adams and Mark Wallach voted no. Boulder City Council minutes, Feb. 12, 2026 (Area III-Planning Reserve service area expansion) · Feb 12, 2026
On June 25, 2026, the council approved the major update to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan 9-0. Boulder City Council minutes, June 25, 2026 (Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan major update) · Jun 25, 2026
Many candidates call for an overhaul of Title 9, the city's land-use code. Boulder Reporting Lab questionnaire · Sep 29, 2026

Boulder Municipal Airport

Where it standsIn July 2026 the council voted 8-1 to keep operating the airport indefinitely, and in September it approved an FAA grant application 6-2.

What's on the tableFuture councils decide whether to keep accepting FAA grants, which city officials say could require operating the airport in perpetuity.

The July 23, 2026 vote reaffirmed operating the airport indefinitely and cleared the way to seek FAA grants; Mark Wallach cast the lone no vote and resigned. Boulder Reporting Lab · Jul 23, 2026
On Sept. 17, 2026, the council approved an FAA grant application for airport pavement maintenance, with Ryan Schuchard and Nicole Speer voting no. Boulder City Council action summary, Sept. 17, 2026 (FAA airport grant application) · Sep 17, 2026
Without FAA funding, the city projects an airport budget deficit of about $7 million to $27 million by 2041. Boulder Reporting Lab · Sep 17, 2026

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. Should voters approve the $400 million Recreation and Safety Bond (ballot measure 2K)?
2. Should Boulder end its use of automated license-plate readers like Flock?
3. Should Boulder require owners of existing homes in high-risk areas to harden them against wildfire?
4. Should Boulder move ahead with plans to develop housing in the Area III Planning Reserve?
5. What should Boulder do with its municipal airport?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Ballots mailed; 24-hour drop boxes openCity of Boulder · Sep 28, 2026Oct 2, 2026
Vote Centers open for in-person votingCity of Boulder · Sep 28, 2026Oct 19, 2026
Last recommended day to return a ballot by mailCity of Boulder · Sep 28, 2026Oct 26, 2026
Election Day: ballots due by 7 p.m.City of Boulder · Sep 28, 2026Nov 3, 2026

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Matt Benjamin, Rob Kaplan, Nicole Speer6 on this ballot

9 council seats. The council decides by a 5-vote majority.

The City Council has nine members, including a mayor and mayor pro tem; all members are elected at-large. City of Boulder
Boulder elects its mayor by ranked-choice voting; 2026 is the second time the city uses it. City of Boulder
Starting in 2026, the mayor's term is two years. City of Boulder
Boulder has a council-manager form of government: the council sets policy and the council-appointed city manager administers it. City of Boulder
Five council seats are on the ballot, including a partial-term seat left by Mark Wallach's resignation. Boulder Daily Camera · Aug 27, 2026
Mark Wallach resigned on July 23, 2026; because he resigned before Aug. 1, the city charter requires the seat to stay vacant until the Nov. 3 election. Axios Boulder · Jul 24, 2026
Beginning in December, council members will earn 40% of the area median income and the mayor 50%. Boulder Reporting Lab · Aug 30, 2026
This is Boulder's first regular municipal election held in an even-numbered year. Boulder Reporting Lab · Aug 30, 2026

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