Early voting gets under way May 16

By Jean Reid Norman (contact)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 | 10:31 a.m.

Bill Smith

Cam Walker

Boulder City voters can begin to head to the polls Saturday, as early voting begins at City Hall, 401 California St.

The race between project developer Cam Walker and former City Councilman Bill Smith, a retired travel agent, for a seat on the City Council will be on the ballot, along with six questions.

Early voting runs May 16 through May 29 at Boulder City Hall. It will be closed May 25 for Memorial Day.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Polling is closed Sunday.

Two City Council seats were open this year. Councilman Mike Pacini was ineligible to run because of term limits, and Councilwoman Andrea Anderson is retiring.

Former library director Duncan McCoy won one of those seats in the primary election by garnering votes representing more than 50 percent of the voters. That left Walker and Smith battling for the remaining seat in the general election.

Five of the ballot questions propose changes to the Boulder City Charter, and one is an advisory question asking whether the city should allow geothermic and geothermal energy exploration and production in the Eldorado Valley.

The geothermal energy question was put on the ballot because the City Charter specifies only solar energy development in the Eldorado Valley.

All of the other questions would change the charter, which requires that they pass twice. They are:

• To require open meetings when the council considers terminating or otherwise disciplining city officers — the city manager, city attorney or city clerk. The charter allows open meetings but does not require them. State law requires such meetings be open. The question passed in 2008.

• To clarify term limits on the City Council, noting that the mayor may serve for 12 years and that council members may serve for 12 years. State law governing term limits left it unclear whether a single person would be limited to serving 12 years total on the council, as mayor and a council person. If it passes, it will appear on the ballot again next November.

• To limit votes to approve expenditures from the Capital Improvement Fund to general elections. State law does not allow advisory questions in primary elections, and votes on the use of Capital Improvement Fund are considered advisory. If it passes, the question would appear on the ballot again next November.

• To make the City Charter gender-neutral. This question passed last November and would change the charter if it passes this time.

• To add the Western Area Power Administration corridor, which was annexed into the city last June, to the charter’s description of the city limits. If it passes, it would be on next November’s ballot.