Ballot 2B and What Your Vote Means

What’s on the Ballot?

In 2025, Fort Collins voters will be able to select a Mayor and Councilmembers from Districts 1, 3 and 5.  The Mayor is selected by all registered voters within the City.  Councilmembers are also selected by registered voters within their respective Districts. 

All Fort Collins voters may also be presented with the local ballot issues or questions.  The City Council will be considering some proposed Charter amendments during Q1 of 2025.  If approved, more information will be provided.

Fort Collins City Ballot Question 2B - Charter Amendment No. 1

Should the Articles 2, 9, and 10 of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins, be amended to correct errors and eliminate outdated or unnecessary language in light of the Charter amendments adopted in November 2024, by: 

Clarifying in Section 2(d) of Article 2 that a registered elector must notify the City Clerk before seeking a court determination to challenge the qualifications of any member of the Council

Updating language in Section 2(e)(1) of Article 9 about determining the number of votes cast in a specific race to work with the new ranked voting rules that were approved in November 2024

Changing language in Section 2(e)(1) of Article 10 to restore the number of days for a signature gatherer to circulate an initiative petition by increasing it from 63 days to 77 days? 

Options are:

______ Yes/For 

______ No/Against

Summary

This Charter Amendment has three parts, each correcting language related to local elections within the City to be in conformance with amendments adopted by the voters in November 2024 and to correct errors in the language presented to the voters at that time.

First, this Charter Amendment requires a registered elector to notify the City Clerk before seeking a court determination challenging the qualifications of a Council Member, in part for consistency with language adopted in November 2024.

Second, this Charter Amendment updates the language regarding recall petitions to align with the new ranked choice voting process that was approved in November 2021. 

Third, the current version of the Charter gives signature gatherers 63 days to circulate an initiative petition. This timeframe was not updated in November 2024 to reflect an increase to 77 days intended by the City Council. The proposed amendment incorporates the intended timeframe for circulation of an initiative petition by updating the Charter language to give signature gatherers 77 days instead of 63 days.

What a “Yes” vote means: 

A “yes” vote indicates the voter agrees with updating the Charter language regarding local elections. 

What a “No” vote means:

A “no” vote indicates the voter does not agree with the updates and would rather leave the Charter language as is.

Linked Ordinances

Ordinance 63, 2025

Ordinance 109, 2025

Dictionary

Amendment - a minor change or addition designed to improve a text, piece of 

legislation, etc.

Ballot - a system or instance of voting secretly on a particular issue.

Charter - a written grant by a country's legislative or sovereign power, by which a body such as a company, college, or city is founded and its rights and privileges defined.

Conformance - Another term for conformity - compliance with standards, rules, or laws.

Courtesy of the Oxford Dictionary

Written by the Poudre Press

Works Cited

The City of Fort Collins. “Charter of the City of Fort Collins.” 2022, p. 60. https://www.fcgov.com/elections/files/2022-nov-charter-w-cover.pdf?1680282188. Accessed 16 October 2025.

The City of Fort Collins. “Elections.” 2025, https://www.fcgov.com/elections/on-the-ballot. Accessed 16 October 2025.

The City of Fort Collins. “ESTABLISHING THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO APPEAR ON.” ORDINANCE NO.109,2025, 2025, p. 7. City of Fort Collins Public Records, https://records.fcgov.com/OrdRes/DocView.aspx?id=21685535&dbid=0&repo=FortCollins. Accessed 16 October 2025.

The City of Fort Collins. “SUBMITTING TO A VOTE OF THE REGISTERED ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS A PROPOSED CHARTER AMEND.” ORDINANCE NO.063,2025, 2025, p. 4. City of Fort Collins Public Records, https://records.fcgov.com/OrdRes/DocView.aspx?id=20956407&dbid=0&repo=FortCollins&cr=1. Accessed 16 October 2025.

Oxford. Oxford English Dictionary, 2025, https://www.oed.com/. Accessed 16 October 2025.