The Nov. 5 city ballot measure to increase pay for members of the Boulder City Council is set to pass, with support growing as additional votes are counted, according to the latest Boulder County election results. Proponents of the measure view it as a step toward encouraging candidates from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to run for council.
The measure, Ballot Question 2C, proposes tying council members’ salaries to 40% of the area median income (AMI) and the mayor’s salary to 50% of AMI, resulting in a substantial increase over current compensation levels. If approved, the pay adjustments would take effect in December 2026, when a new council would be seated.
Another measure, Ballot Question 2D, which would allow all nine councilmembers to hold private executive sessions, also is set to pass. Under Colorado’s open meeting laws, the topics of these private discussions would still be disclosed to the public.
In contrast, Ballot Question 2E, which would give councilmembers more control over setting term lengths and eligibility criteria for certain advisory board or commission members, appears headed for defeat. Current results show the measure trailing by 200 votes, though the outcome could shift as final votes are counted.
Boulder County election officials still have thousands of ballots left to process, including over 5,000 that were initially rejected for issues such as signature discrepancies and require verification. These ballots are scheduled to be processed on Nov. 14. PSA: Check this dataset to see if your ballot was rejected and needs further verification.