We are part of Big Tent Boulder County, a bipartisan group of community leaders and organizers who share the belief that representation and good governance matter. Our initiative to increase the number of Boulder County commissioners from three to five took shape after thoughtful research and dialogue with a diverse cross-section of Boulder County community members that revealed a clear desire for broader representation. Here are some of the reasons why “it’s time for five.”
The status quo no longer works.
Our group and hundreds of supporters include people with vast experience in governance — Ashley Stolzmann (current Boulder County commissioner), mayors and city councilmembers from every municipality, and representatives to the state legislature (Sen. Judy Amabile and Rep. Lesley Smith). We understand how county government functions today, but we’re advocating for a structure that’s better suited to our large and complex county. As demonstrated by the many leaders and residents who have joined our efforts, the current model no longer serves us. It’s time for a larger board with a more diverse set of perspectives and experiences.
Our neighboring counties have opted into this successful model.
The option to increase to five county commissioners is already sanctioned in Colorado and has been successfully adopted by five of the state’s largest counties (Boulder is the ninth largest), including our neighbors Arapahoe, Adams and Weld. This is a well-vetted path for better governance that can be as seamless here as it has been in other counties.
We need to elevate votes and voices throughout Boulder County.
If placed on the ballot, Boulder County residents will be asked whether they support moving to five commissioners and how they would like those seats configured — either all five commissioners elected by voters in their districts, or three elected by districts and two elected at-large by all voters. Either option would ensure that a majority of commissioners are elected by district rather than through the current all at-large voting method, elevating the voice and value of voters within every district. Across the country, local governments are increasingly moving away from pure at-large voting systems due to growing concerns about their discriminatory impact on fair representation and voting rights. If voters choose the five-district option, new maps can be drawn to give unincorporated residents and smaller Boulder County communities a more meaningful voice. And like so many other legislative bodies, the majority of our commissioners would be elected by district while still serving the entire county. As former President Lyndon B. Johnson noted, “Government is best which is closest to the people.”
More effective representation isn’t the same as bigger government.
Opponents argue that expanding to five commissioners is an expensive move toward “big government” at a time of tight budgets, but adding two commissioners does not expand the size or scope of Boulder County government. It creates no new departments and enlarges no bureaucracy. It simply strengthens representation at the top of the structure that already governs us. Two additional salaries and benefits would total roughly $400,000 a year — about 0.06% of a $750 million county budget. And with the new seats not filled until 2029, the cost can be responsibly planned. Investing 0.06% of our budget to improve oversight and representation for the other 99.94% isn’t bigger government — it’s better government.
A county commissioner is not a CEO.
Some have suggested that the job of a county commissioner is akin to that of a CEO and that coordinating input from five commissioners would impede action. But should a county commissioner act like a CEO? Legally, any one commissioner should not be making decisions or carrying out actions that haven’t been expressly sanctioned by the board as a whole. That our county commissioners may be making decisions individually is actually quite problematic. Commissioners are not CEOs and should not behave as if they are. Coordinating input from the board as a whole is exactly how county commissioners are required to govern.
The job has become unmanageable.
We question the assertion by opponents (because we’ve talked with plenty of residents who feel otherwise) that our Board of County Commissioners is already nimble and responsive. A central aim of our initiative is to spread the workload by increasing the number of commissioners who will oversee implementation of board-approved policies. From a previous BRL opinion piece by opponents: “This effort would just result in five commissioners doing the same work that was formerly done by three.” Exactly. The task list for three commissioners in our massive county is unwieldy. A larger board can reduce the burden on individual commissioners, enabling them to engage more deeply in policy discussions and constituent services.
There are structural flaws in the current three-commissioner system.
In a previous BRL opinion piece, Big Tent BoCo members Bob Yates and Rachel Friend detailed structural flaws with a three-commissioner board. Major decisions often hinge on the “swing vote” of just one commissioner. A three-person board is more susceptible to concentrated lobbying efforts. Colorado’s open meetings laws require public notice any time a quorum of commissioners talks about anything substantive, meaning two commissioners cannot meet informally without triggering notice requirements. This dynamic can lead to surprise disagreements during public meetings rather than more collaborative policy development. A five-member board reduces these structural vulnerabilities.
Boulder County residents are embracing this change.
The process of gathering signatures and endorsers has been heartening and reaffirming. Many supporters share stories about their experiences interacting with Boulder County government or struggling to do so. And supporters reiterate the belief that increasing from three to five county commissioners will improve representation, accessibility and diversity of thought on the board. So many Boulder County residents would like the opportunity to vote on this in November; we’re working hard to make that happen.
Please join us in this effort! To learn more and to support this work, visit BigTentBoco.org.