Opportunities for Reform in School Board Elections:

While many of the electoral reforms discussed are more commonly implemented at higher levels of government, there are significant opportunities to introduce these reforms at the school board level, leveraging these initiatives to push reform on other levels.

Rank Choice Voting

In Colorado, several municipalities have adopted Ranked Choice Voting for local elections. Basalt first used RCV for mayoral elections in 2004. Boulder approved RCV for mayoral races starting in, 2023. Broomfield passed RCV for mayor and city council elections. Carbondale approved RCV in 2003 Fort Collins, passed RCV for all city officials on November 8, 2022, has not yet implemented it.

Last Updated August 2024

The map is ongoing research and IN PROGRESS - if you see something that you feel does not represent current policy, pathways, and possibilities or something we have missed please share at connect@cornerstonedemocracy.org

Expanded Voter Rights

In Boulder, Colorado, efforts to lower the voting age to 16 and 17 have gained momentum. A coalition, Student Voice Student Vote, promoted a 2019 state bill to lower the voting age for school board elections, which didn't pass. Golden, CO, has put this question to a vote. Colorado’s legal framework allows charter cities to amend voting ages, and Boulder. Colorado cities are home rule charter cities, which can locally adjust voting ages

Public Financing

In Boulder, Colorado, a public financing program enacted in 2000 provides a one-to-one match on contributions up to 50% of the expenditure limit for city council candidates. Denver, Colorado, implemented a public financing program in 2018 that offers a nine-to-one match on in-city contributions of $50 or less for various offices, including mayor, city council, city council at-large, auditor, judges, and clerk and recorder.

Overall Education Profile 

To take a closer look at Colorado’s education system you can reference https://ballotpedia.org/Public_education_in_Colorado

This page offers a high-level overview of Colorado’s K-12 public education system, contextualizing key factors that shape the state’s educational landscape. Explore data on student enrollment, teacher numbers, school demographics, and graduation rates, alongside an analysis of per-pupil spending and education funding. Comparisons with neighboring states and national averages provide a deeper understanding of how such systems perform in areas like student-teacher ratios and academic outcomes. Additionally, the page discusses broader themes such as school choice, teacher salaries, and term limits, offering insight into the complexities of the state’s education infrastructure