Westminster postpones ward ballot push; council asks staff for Q1 2027 polling and cost estimate

After a lengthy discussion of prior ballot attempts and community opinion, Westminster City Council on June 15 declined to move forward this year with a ballot measure to convert the city from at‑large elections to a ward or hybrid ward system.

Councilor Ireland presented draft ballot language proposing a hybrid model (four ward seats, two at‑large seats and an at‑large mayor) and argued the change would better reflect voter choice and diversity. Several councilors supported the idea in principle but said the timing was poor: the 2026 ballot is crowded, and past measures have failed without a substantial public education campaign and voter outreach.

“Wards are more equitable,” one councilor said, while others pointed to prior defeats and the need for coalition building and voter education. Multiple council members suggested pairing any future ward proposal with education and possibly rank‑choice voting to better translate voter preferences.

Council’s near‑term decision was procedural: instead of placing a measure on this year’s ballot, the council directed staff to return with a cost estimate for commissioning a scientific poll in Q1 2027 to gauge voter support and to identify gaps in public understanding. Staff told council a municipal election typically costs the city tens of thousands of dollars (staff estimated $70,000–$90,000 for an election) and that a high‑quality poll to test voter messaging might run in the low five‑figures; councilors emphasized that any full ballot push would need a deliberate voter education plan and coalition work.

Next steps: staff will provide a cost estimate for a Q1 2027 polling engagement and outline what a voter education package would cost; councilors indicated willingness to revisit a ward or hybrid question only after analysis, polling and a clear outreach plan.