Council agrees to send charter question to voters on whether councilmembers vacate seats when declaring candidacy

Staff presented draft charter language that would automatically treat a mayor or council seat as vacated once the officeholder "formally declares candidacy" for another elected office. Tammy summarized the concept and the drafted definition of "formally declaring candidacy," which would include filing candidacy paperwork, submitting nominating petitions, or creating a candidate committee. "The crux of it is any person serving as council member or mayor shall be deemed to have vacated and resigned from such office upon formally declaring candidacy for any elected office other than the council member or mayor," Tammy said, explaining the intent was to prevent conflicts between campaigning for another office and carrying out city duties.

Council debated scope and clarity. Some members asked that the opening sentences that frame the question ("the citizens of Thornton find...") be moved into the Blue Book or ballot comments because they could be seen as leading. Others worried the measure could produce more special elections and add costs; staff estimated a coordinated county November placement would cost about $63,453 while a standalone mayoral special election could cost roughly $300,000. Council directed staff to place explanatory language in the Blue Book clarifying that formal appointments are not candidate filings and confirmed consensus to refer the question to the ballot, with council consensus to add it to the next municipal election rather than pay for a standalone special poll and with no additional polling prior to the referral. Provenance: topic introduced SEG 2222; staff outlined cost estimates SEG 2866–2880.