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Grand Junction council weighs moving municipal elections to November to cut costs, boost turnout
Summary
Council members discussed placing a charter amendment on the ballot to shift regular municipal elections from April to November, coordinating with Mesa County Elections to reduce city staffing and facility burdens. Staff presented cost comparisons, turnout data and legal/process considerations; no formal vote was taken.
The Grand Junction City Council discussed whether to move regular municipal elections from April to November at a workshop on Jan. 13, 2025, a change that would require a question on the city charter and coordination with Mesa County Elections.
City elections staff presented cost and turnout information, telling council that the city-run April municipal election cost about $168,000 in the most recent comparable cycle while a coordinated November 2023 special municipal election cost a little over $27,000. Staff provided a current estimate of roughly $120,245 for the next election if conducted by Mesa County, and ongoing city-run election staffing costs could range from about $135,000 to $238,000 per year.
The discussion mattered because shifting to November would likely cut direct city election costs and could raise turnout, but would require formal charter amendment language, timetable decisions…
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