Photo by PHILIP B. POSTON/Sentinel Colorado
AURORA | Voters may decide this November whether to move Aurora municipal elections to even-numbered years to align with federal elections, which has been shown to increase voter turnout.
A proposed ordinance sponsored by Councilmember Alli Jackson would put a question on the November ballot to move city council elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years.
The council will discuss and vote on the ordinance at Monday’s study session and regular meeting.
Monday’s meeting is the deadline for council to put measures on this year’s ballot.
Jackson told the Sentinel that she introduced the ordinance with the hope of improving participation in elections and reducing barriers to voting.
“It’s kind of a numbers game and looking at what will help voters be able to engage in the political process in a more fair and effective way,” Jackson said.
Data from Citizens Union, a nonpartisan civic watchdog group based in New York, found that several cities saw huge increases in voter participation for mayoral races after switching to even-year elections. In El Paso, the voter turnout for the mayoral race in 2017 was 8%, while in 2024 it was 35%. San Francisco saw its mayoral election turnout go from 36% in 2019 to 76% in 2024.
In Colorado, Boulder residents approved switching to even-year elections in 2022.
The switch could also impact the cost of elections, which are more expensive in even-numbered years because more people are participating and the ballots are often longer. In 2024, the city paid more than $121,000 to place one measure on the ballot, while it paid almost $72,000 for five ballot measures and five council seats on the 2025 ballot.
About 151,400 votes were cast on a citywide ballot measure in 2024, while in 2025, the five citywide measures received between about 76,400 votes and 78,900 votes.
However, Jackson said looking at the cost of election per voter shows it’s more cost-effective to have elections in even-numbered years, adding that some money would be saved by not having to pay for elections every year.
If the council sends the change to voters and they approve it, the change would go into effect for the 2030 election. To facilitate the transitions, any council members and the mayor elected in 2027 and 2029 would have three-year terms. Council members and the mayor otherwise serve four-year terms.
Jackson said she campaigned on aligning elections with even-numbered years and served on a city committee to examine the switch prior to being elected to council, so she feels there is voter support for the measure.
“This even-year election measure is really about making a stronger democracy for our local elections,” she said.