Longmont council appoints Matthew Popkin to fill Ward 2 vacancy after public interviews

Longmont City Council on Jan. 21 appointed Matthew Popkin to fill the Ward 2 seat vacated by Council member Marcia Martin, voting 4-2 by public ballot after a night of public comment and candidate interviews.

The appointment follows the city charter’s timeline for vacancies. Don, a city staff member, summarized the legal requirement before the interviews: “A vacancy which occurs less than 1 year but more than 90 days before the next regular city election, which will be 11/04/2025, shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining councilmembers within 30 days after such vacancy occurs.” The council said Popkin will be sworn in at the beginning of the next council meeting.

Why it matters: The council’s appointment fills the Ward 2 seat for the remainder of the term through the Nov. 4, 2025 regular election. Residents, applicants and council members framed the process as a test of transparency, neighborhood representation and the council’s ability to manage growth, housing and public safety concerns while the seat remains appointed rather than elected.

How the council chose Popkin

City staff said the council received 22 applications, screened out three that did not meet residency requirements and advanced 19. Four applicants withdrew before the Jan. 21 interviews, leaving 15 applicants to address council. The process used a public, lottery-ordered interview sequence: each applicant had up to five minutes to speak, then council voted by public ballot to select finalists. Council agreed to advance a minimum of four finalists. The four finalists who advanced were Matthew Popkin, Crystal Prieto, Regan Sage and Teresa Simpkins.

Finalists then answered a series of questions from council members; each council question allowed a three-minute response. After the finalist interviews the council conducted a final public ballot to select the appointee. The final vote recorded four votes for Popkin and two votes for other finalists; staff announced that Popkin had the required majority and would be sworn in next week.

Public input and themes from candidates

Dozens of residents spoke during the public-invited segment, offering guidance about the kind of representative they wanted. Several Ward 2 residents urged the council to choose a candidate who would run in the November election and be accountable to voters; others urged the council to pick someone who would challenge the current council majority. Vic Pizzo told the council he wanted “someone that will advocate for us that might challenge this status quo.”

Speakers also endorsed specific applicants. Bob Rosinski said plainly, “I am here to support Ryan Forbes,” and several speakers praised other candidates’ community service or experience. Giselle Herzfeld commended former Council member Marcia Martin, saying the council should select “a candidate who will uphold the same level of courage and compassion.”

Candidates’ emphases in the public interviews ranged across housing affordability, traffic and transportation, homelessness, public safety and sustainable growth. In his remarks, Popkin emphasized managing growth and implementing long-term projects, telling the council he had helped other communities plan brownfield cleanup and clean-energy projects and had worked on housing-focused implementation efforts locally.

Vote and next steps

Council members cast public ballots. The final recorded votes for the appointment to fill the Ward 2 seat were: Mayor Peck — yes (for Matthew Popkin); Mayor Pro Tem Susie Hidalgo Faring — yes; Council member Rodriguez — yes; Council member Yarborough — yes; Council member McCoy — no (voted for Crystal Prieto); Council member Chris — no (voted for Teresa Simpkins). The tally was four in favor, two opposed. Staff announced that Popkin will be sworn in at the start of the next council meeting.

The council also noted there will be four Ward 2 seats on the ballot in November 2025 and encouraged finalists who wish to continue to run to file for election. The council adjourned after completing the appointment.