How I'm Voting
Vote NOW
through
November 4!
For me, leadership isn’t just about showing up to meetings or casting votes. It’s about taking a stand, being transparent about your mindset, and keeping an eye on the bigger picture of what’s at stake. Elections in Boulder aren’t just about individual candidates; they’re about the direction our community chooses to move in together. This election will set the course for how we tackle housing affordability, climate action, community safety, and good governance. For me, the choice is clear: we need leaders committed to moving Boulder forward, not back. That’s why I’m sharing how I’m voting, because the candidates and positions I endorse reflect my belief in pushing for progress and building a Boulder that is more inclusive, resilient, and vibrant for everyone.
City Council Candidates
Lauren Folkerts
https://www.lauren4boulder.com/
Lauren brings an architect’s precision and a deeply rooted commitment to equity and sustainability to every conversation. As Mayor Pro Tem, she elevates collaboration and transparency on City Council and is a leading voice for attainable housing, safe transportation, and inclusive land use reform.
Lauren’s thoughtful, community-centered approach, whether strengthening subcommunity planning or housing innovations that preserve neighborhood character, has made Boulder stronger and more welcoming. She’s proven that we can build a Boulder for everyone that can last generations. I’m confident Lauren will continue leading Boulder with clarity, integrity, and vision, and I hope you’ll join me in supporting her re-election.
Nicole Speer
https://www.nicoleforboulder.com/
Nicole embodies the values that make Boulder stronger: equity, inclusion, and science-based leadership. She has delivered real results: expanding affordable housing; strengthening renter protections; advancing voter access and investing in climate resilience.
Nicole brings clarity, compassion, and conviction to City Council, guided by evidence and driven by community values. Her leadership, especially in building trust with marginalized communities and advancing essential infrastructure, has strengthened Boulder’s foundation. I align with her vision for a Boulder that works for every generation, and I hope you’ll join me in re-electing her to continue that progress.
Mark Wallach
https://www.wallachforcouncil.com/
Mark brings a measured, pragmatic approach to governance, grounded not in ideology, but in what truly works for Boulder. From raising development impact fees to expand affordable housing to deeply assessing our infrastructure needs, he’s proven that thoughtful, steady leadership delivers meaningful progress. He has championed middle-income housing, wildfire resilience, public safety, and fiscal responsibility, always anchored by his core questions: Will it work? Can we afford it? Will it make life better for people in Boulder?
In a time when Boulder faces both volatility and opportunity, Mark’s steady hand, deep experience, and collaborative spirit are exactly what our city needs. I believe Boulder will be stronger with him continuing on Council, and I hope you’ll join me in supporting his re-election.
Honorable Mentions
In my four years on council, I'm grateful to the colleagues who show up every day ready to collaborate, compromise, and find a way to make progress together. No one side should expect to get everything they want, but instead work to move forward together in ways that make everyone feel like they were heard. As I've gotten to know all of the candidates running for City Council, Jenny Robins, Rob Kaplan and Max Lord would all be great councilors for our city, and engaged colleagues to work alongside.
Boulder Valley
School District Board
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District B: Nicole Rajpal — current board president, tremendous school board leader, running unopposed.
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District E: Jeff Anderson — thoughtful, student-focused leader who listens, is engaged, and is committed to strengthening our public schools for every family in Boulder Valley.
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District F: Ana Temu Otting — thoughtful and engaged; running unopposed.
City of Boulder
Ballot Issues
2A & 2B Community, Culture, Resilience, and Safety (CCRS) Tax - YES
This November, Boulder voters have the opportunity to renew, not raise, an existing tax that funds some of the most essential investments in our city: fire stations, police and emergency facilities, recreation centers, cultural spaces, and critical infrastructure that keeps Boulder safe and thriving.
The Community, Culture, Resilience, and Safety (CCRS) Tax directly supports the backbone of our community. It’s what allows us to repair aging facilities, upgrade emergency response systems, and maintain the spaces that bring people together, our parks, arts venues, and public buildings. Without this dedicated revenue, Boulder risks falling further behind on our $380 million capital maintenance backlog, putting both safety and quality of life at risk.
This is a renewal of an existing tax, not a new one. It continues a voter-approved investment that has already delivered visible results across the city. From fire stations to playgrounds, CCRS funds projects that protect our neighborhoods and strengthen Boulder’s long-term resilience.
I’m supporting this measure because it’s pragmatic, responsible, and essential. It keeps Boulder strong, protects what we value most, and ensures we can respond to the challenges of tomorrow, without adding new burdens to taxpayers today. Let’s invest in a Boulder that’s safe, vibrant, and built to last.
Vote YES on the Community, Culture, Resilience, and Safety Tax.
Boulder County
Ballot Issues
1A (Open Space) - YES
Boulder County’s open space system is one of our greatest collective achievements, protecting the landscapes, wildlife, farms, and trails that define who we are as a community. Generations of residents have invested in this legacy, ensuring that our open spaces remain places of recreation, reflection, and resilience.
This year’s ballot measure continues, not increases, our existing open space funding. It ensures Boulder County can maintain and restore the lands we already own, improve public access responsibly, and support agricultural operations that keep local farming viable. These dollars also help with wildfire mitigation, trail maintenance, and habitat restoration, critical investments as our region faces growing climate pressures.
I’m supporting this measure because it reflects Boulder’s long-standing values: conservation, stewardship, and fiscal responsibility. Renewing this tax means protecting what we’ve built together and caring for the open spaces that make Boulder County so special, without adding new tax burdens.
Let’s safeguard our open space for the next generation.
1B (Behavioral Health Tax) - YES
Boulder County is facing a clear and urgent gap in behavioral health services. From crisis response to long-term treatment, we simply don’t have enough capacity to meet the needs of our community. Every day, we see the consequences in our homelessness response system, in our emergency rooms, and in the strain on first responders and families trying to navigate a fragmented system.
While this tax isn’t perfect, the need it addresses is undeniable. The new Behavioral Health Tax will provide dedicated funding (about $15 million annually) to expand local mental health and addiction treatment services, improve crisis response, and build the infrastructure our community desperately needs.
I support this measure because doing nothing is not an option. But I also believe Boulder County must do better: funds must be spent transparently, equitably, and with clear accountability to the cities and organizations that are on the front lines of this crisis. We need strong oversight, measurable outcomes, and a commitment that these dollars will go where the need is greatest. This measure represents a vital step toward a healthier, safer, and more compassionate community. Let’s make sure it succeeds, and then make sure it delivers.
Vote YES on the Boulder County Behavioral Health Tax.
State Propositions
LL & MM (Health School Meals for All) - YES
Colorado voters created the Healthy School Meals for All program to ensure every child has access to nutritious meals at school, because no student should be hungry while trying to learn.
Propositions LL and MM keep that promise. LL allows the state to retain and spend revenue already collected for the program, and MM ensures it’s fully funded moving forward by modestly limiting tax deductions for high-income earners.
These measures don’t raise taxes for most Coloradans; they simply make sure a voter-approved program can operate as intended. The funds support Colorado-grown food, better wages for cafeteria workers, and healthier meals for students statewide.
This is a smart, values-driven investment in kids, families, and equity across Colorado.
Vote YES on LL and MM, because every child deserves a healthy meal and an equal start.