Let the people choose Boulder’s mayor
PLAN Boulder, “People’s League for Action Now,” has issued its missive on the Boulder ballot measures, weighing in on only two: 2C, the public service franchise, and 2E, direct election of the mayor. As one of the organizers for the direct election of the mayor ballot measure, I feel honored that this historic group has chosen our ballot measure to analyze, even if it recommended a “no” vote.
Our committee chairman, Matt Benjamin, visited with PLAN’S representatives early in our process. We didn’t get their endorsement, but we also received no feedback or recommendations for improvement of the measure.
So, let’s take the group’s concerns, one by one.
PLAN dislikes that 2E includes two disparate questions combined into one ballot measure: directly electing our mayor, through ranked choice voting. The group would have preferred that we split the two initiatives, first directly electing our mayor under the traditional plurality system, well recognized as the most unfair voting system. We feel the Boulder electorate is smart enough to figure out two things at once.
In a sweeping indictment, PLAN said that 2E will increase the power of the mayor, increase partisanship, increase the risk of reduced transparency in government actions, and create an expensive and confusing election process.
PLAN later contradicted its earlier statement by saying that 2E would give the elected mayor the same powers as in the current system. We agree with PLAN that voters who vote for the mayor for the first time need to understand that the mayor carries no greater powers. This will be an educational effort we will do before the first election.
In regards to PLAN’S claim of increased partisanship, one of the proven benefits of ranked choice voting is the exact opposite. If no candidate gets a majority, causing an “instant runoff,” a candidate will benefit from second place votes, encouraging candidates to take less polarized positions and to work with each other.
Confirmed by many former council members, in fact, there is no transparency in today’s mayor selection process. Direct election of our mayor would give us more transparency in our government, not less. Most of our neighboring communities elect their mayor and they don’t have transparency issues.
PLAN’S accusation that 2E would create an expensive and confusing election process is being actively addressed right now. True, actions must be taken to support Boulder’s efforts for ranked choice voting, and we have three years to accomplish them.
At the invitation of KC Becker, our team met with Chris Kennedy, the chair of the state committee that oversees election laws for Colorado. He is very interested in ranked choice voting for local elections, and he thinks there will be legislation next year to fund and direct the Secretary of State’s office to support counties in ranked choice voting.
PLAN’S final accusation was incriminating the City Council for working with the “Our Mayor-our Choice” committee to modify and improve the ballot measure and ultimately place it on the ballot. This option was available to all ballot measure committees, including PLAN’S own failed ballot measure to sideline flood mitigation efforts for South Boulder.
Our team decided to work with the council, in a compromising effort, something not often seen in today’s political world. The real issue is that PLAN has controlled council elections for many years, and through the council, it has controlled the mayor’s seat.
PLAN doesn’t support popular voting for our mayor because we, the people, may vote for someone not affiliated with it. PLAN was also against term limits for council members, so it has demonstrated a track record of saying “no” to a more fair and equitable democracy.
PLAN Boulder’s leaders should consider the first word of its organization’s title, “people.” One hopes it will consider good governance rather than control in its guiding principles for the future. . All of Boulder’s political groups except PLAN and the Boulder County Republicans support 2E. As the Boulder County Democratic Party stated so eloquently in its endorsement: “In a time when democracy itself is under attack at the highest levels of government, the Our Mayor-our Choice initiative seeks to expand opportunities to participate in direct democracy and introduce a more modern, representative way to vote.”
Many respected civic organizations and individuals have endorsed this measure, and the Daily Camera editorial board recommended a “yes” vote in its detailed analysis. Join us for better democracy and better governance by voting “yes” on 2E. The people of this community have a right to select our mayor.
Jan Burton is a former Boulder City Council member. She is also a board member of Create Boulder. Email her at Jan.burton111@gmail.com.