With just days remaining before the Jan. 26 deadline, the city of Cortez is urging residents who want to run for City Council to pick up and return their nomination packets.
The open seats are currently held by Mayor Rachel Medina, Dennis Spruell, Matthew Keefauver, Robert Dobry and Lydia DeHaven. Seats held by Bill Randle and April Lewis are not up for election until 2028.
Three of the open seats are four-year terms and two are two-year terms. New members will take office April 28.
Candidate nomination packets have been available since Jan. 6 at the city clerk’s office in Cortez City Hall, 123 Roger Smith Ave. Completed packets, including petitions with at least 25 valid signatures, must be submitted by 5 p.m. Jan. 26.
The election is set for April 7 and will be conducted by mail only, with no in-person voting. Residents should ensure their voter registration and address are up to date to receive a ballot. This can be done online at www.govotecolorado.gov. Those who wish to update their registration or address in person can do so at the Montezuma County Clerk & Recorder, 140 W. Main St.
Eligibility to vote in the municipal election requires U.S. citizenship, being at least 18 years old on Election Day and residing within city limits for 12 consecutive months prior to the election.
Council meetings occur on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7:30 p.m., following a 6 p.m. work session.
Those interested in running or seeking more details should contact City Clerk Danielle Wells at the city clerk’s office. The office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon Friday.
Wells can be reached by phone at (970) 564-4008 or email at dwells@cortezco.gov. Additional information about the election and submitting a packet is available at www.cortezco.gov.
