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Council delays implementation of ranked-choice voting until 2027, citing audit rules and costs
Summary
Broomfield council on second reading approved an ordinance Feb. 11 to postpone the city's planned implementation of ranked-choice voting until the Nov. 2, 2027 coordinated election, citing lack of state audit rules and new vendor fees.
BROOMFIELD, Colo. — The Broomfield City Council on Feb. 11 approved an ordinance on second and final reading to delay implementation of ranked-choice voting for mayoral and council elections until the Nov. 2, 2027 coordinated election.
City and County Clerk Crystal Clemons told council the delay was requested because the Colorado Secretary of State has not finalized rules for post-election risk-limiting audits (RLAs) for ranked voting. Clemons said the secretary of state's deadline to establish audit rules had been extended by state legislation and that proceeding without state audit rules could force Broomfield to develop its own procedures that might later need to change.
Clemons provided cost estimates to the council: "In the 2025 budget we estimated the cost to implement ranked choice voting at $170,000 based on cost incurred by the city of Boulder and the county of Boulder." She added that Dominion, the election vendor, "also notified counties an additional fee of 35,000 per election would be charged to utilize the ranked choice voting portion of the software," bringing the city’s estimated cost to about $205,000.
Council members, some of whom described support for ranked-choice voting as the clear will of voters in the 2021 ballot measure, weighed that preference against the timeline and the potential unbudgeted expense. Council Member Ward said he was “struggling” with the vote because the 2021 ballot question had called for implementation by 2023. Mayor Pro Tem Schaff and other council members said they remain supportive of ranked-choice voting but that the lack of finalized state rules and the new vendor fee make immediate implementation impractical.
Public input: One resident, Matthew Gear of the Trails neighborhood, spoke during public comment and asked how ranked-choice voting works and when it would be triggered. Clemons and other council members explained that ranked-choice voting would only be used when more than two candidates file for a race and that the method is an instant-runoff counting process that results in a candidate receiving a majority of votes.
Council action: Council Member Leslie moved to approve ordinance 22-54 amending the effective date for ranked-choice voting; Council Member Wynne seconded. The ordinance passed on second and final reading, 8-1.
Why it matters: The ballot question that created ranked voting in Broomfield passed in 2021. Staff argued the delay avoids potentially unnecessary upfront spending and development of audit procedures that might conflict with future state rules. Clemons said both the local Republican and Democratic party chairs were contacted and expressed no concerns about the delay.
What’s next: If the ordinance takes effect, staff will not expend the ranked-choice implementation funds set in the 2025 budget and will hold the money in the general fund pending state rulemaking. Clemons said the clerk’s office will update candidate materials and public communications to explain the change.
Ending note: Councilors asked staff to continue pressure on the Secretary of State for timely audit-rule development and asked that staff revisit implementation if the state publishes rules or other circumstances change.
