Council will vote to refer Four ballot questions Monday nightCOMMERCE CITY, COLO. – Fifteen candidates will vie for five open city council seats in Commerce City’s upcoming coordinated election. Voters will elect a mayor, two at-large council members and representatives from Ward II and Ward IV on November 1.
City Council also will vote Monday night to refer four ballot questions to the voters, including:
· The imposition of an additional tax, not to exceed 7%, on the purchase of marijuana, marijuana paraphernalia, marijuana-infused products and synthetic marijuana products, using revenue raised to promote public safety;
· A charter amendment changing the organization meeting of the city council to the second Monday following certification of election results;
· A charter amendment to remove all city council members from membership on the planning commission; and
· A charter amendment making the position of mayor, for the purposes of term limits, separate and distinct from the other seats on city council and limiting the total number of years any person may serve on council, as council member and mayor, to 16.
The City Clerk is required to certify all ballot content with the Adams County Clerk by Sept. 2, 2011. The deadline for voter registration is Oct. 3, 2011, 29 days before the election.
The candidate list (in alphabetical order) is as follows:
Mayor
· Sean Ford
· Robert L. Toavs
At-Large (2 Seats)
· Paolo Diaz
· Steven J. Douglas
· Crystal Elliott
· Gene Leffel
· James B. Romito
· Joe Sandoval
Ward II
· Jim Benson (incumbent)
· Ellen Haug
· Kim Madson
· Kristine Sumner
· Jolene Vialpando-Nielsen
Ward IV
· Ricky A. Teter
· Harvest Thomas
A ballot lot draw to determine name listing order will be held Monday, Aug. 29 during the city council meeting. The city also will publish candidate information on the city’s website, including Fair Campaign Practice Act filings to www.c3gov.com/elections beginning in early September.
An election calendar and general information can be found at www.c3gov.com/elections.
A televised forum is set for October 13th at 6:30pm on Comcast Channel 8 and will re-run. The forum is presented by CCBPA (Commerce City Business and Professionals Association) and will be at the Commerce City Civic Center. It will be monitored by Commerce City Resident Janet Union.
