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Council votes 6-1 to send election-date charter amendment to April ballot
Summary
City Council introduced an ordinance to move municipal elections from April to November of odd-numbered years, extend current members' terms to align with the change, and referred the question to the April 8, 2025 ballot; first reading passed 6-1.
Grand Junction City Council voted 6-1 on first reading to introduce an ordinance proposing a charter amendment that would move the city's general municipal elections from the first Tuesday in April of odd-numbered years to the first Tuesday in November of odd-numbered years and extend terms of current council members so election cycles align.
Council Member Stout moved to introduce the ordinance and refer the question to the April 8, 2025 municipal election; Council Member Wynne seconded. The motion passed 6-1. A public hearing on the measure was set for Feb. 5, 2025.
Supporters said aligning city elections with the county would likely reduce election costs and increase turnout. Council members also noted a potential benefit: newly elected members would have a longer transition window for training and orientation. Opponents and some members raised concerns about the effect on incumbents and outgoing members, noting that the amendment would extend the time a defeated incumbent remains in office and could shift the timing of budget and onboarding processes.
City Attorney John Shaver addressed a legal procedural question during debate, saying, "The short answer to your question is the elected member is not a member until sworn in. So there is no impediment for that person to have any claim, right, title, interest, for any decisions." That explanation was offered after council discussed whether the delayed seating of newly elected members presented legal or procedural impediments.
Council members discussed compromises for implementation timing in the ordinance language; staff said they would refine the ballot and ordinance language between first and second reading to clarify the dates and to include explanatory text if council directs. The motion to introduce the ordinance specified referral to the April 8, 2025 municipal election and set a public hearing for Feb. 5, 2025.
The council recorded the motion result as 6 in favor and 1 opposed on first reading; council did not state individual roll-call votes during the motion.
