With municipal elections approaching across the Roaring Fork Valley and Garfield County, several communities are preparing for contested races, while others will see uncontested seats filled or elections canceled altogether. The following is a breakdown of what voters can expect in each town.
Carbondale
Election Day: April 7
Carbondale voters will decide both a mayoral race and three open trustee seats in a mail ballot election.
Mayor Candidates:
- Erica Sparhawk
- Patricia Savoy
Trustee Candidates (3 open seats):
- Chris Hassig (incumbent)
- Colin Laird (incumbent)
- Joanne Teeple
- Kade Gianinetti
Basalt
Basalt residents will also vote by mail ballot to fill three open Town Council seats.
Town Council Candidates (3 open seats):
- Greg Shaffran
- Elyse Hottel
- Benjamin Fierstein
- Angela Anderson
New Castle
There will be no election held on April 7 in New Castle due to a lack of contested races.
- Mayor Art Riddile is retiring.
- Mayor Pro Tem Grady Hazelton will be sworn in as mayor on April 21.
- Councilmembers Caitlin Carey and Brandy Copeland, along with newcomer Emily Sampley, will be sworn in to four-year terms.
- Bruce Leland’s term is also expiring.
Parachute
Parachute will hold a mail ballot election for mayor and town council.
Mayor Candidates:
- Tom Rugaard
- Levi Williamson
Town Council Candidates:
- David Blair
- Artemio Baltazar
With only two candidates running for three available council seats, the town will need to appoint an additional councilmember following the election.
Glenwood Springs
No municipal election is scheduled. The next election will take place in 2027.
Rifle
Rifle holds elections in November of odd-numbered years.Following each election, the City Council selects a mayor and a mayor pro tem from among its members.
Silt
Like Rifle, Silt conducts municipal elections in November of odd-numbered years.
As always, voters are encouraged to watch their mail for ballots and review candidate information ahead of Election Day.
