Do you know many local elections are happening this November? It is not all about the national election cycle. There are also dozens of special district elections, like the Regional Transportation District (RTD), which collects taxes from a huge number of Coloradans in an eight-county swath of the metro Denver area.
The budgets of these special districts are significant and deserve attention. One of the authors of this piece, Chuck O’Reilly, is working on a project to identify special districts that are up for election this cycle and how you can get involved! If you have ever wanted to understand local government, here is your chance.
Board members of these special districts receive valuable experience such as analyzing and overseeing budgets and making policy decisions. Individuals running for these non-partisan local offices are often the “bench” for political parties. Many of the candidates who are successful on these boards will run for higher office, while other elected board members serve out their terms making a difference in their local area. You can make a difference by serving locally.
Here is the lowdown on these local races: Non-partisan elections occur in either even or odd years and they occur either in the Spring or in November as part of the statewide ballot of the year. Consequently, the nonpartisan elections are broken up into four different groups.
The first non-partisan district election highlighted by Chuck is RTD.
For 2024 the RTD Board will manage projected revenues of $1.2 billion of which 75% ($932 million) come from sales taxes collected in all of Boulder, Denver, Jefferson, and Broomfield counties, parts of Douglas, Arapahoe and Adams counties, and a slice of Weld County. Only 5% ($63 million) actually comes from fares of those who ride RTD buses and trains.
RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected board of directors, who are elected to a four-year term and represent a specific district. On November 5, 2024, the general election will see RTD directors elected from the following districts: A, D, E, F, G, H, I, and M.
The four steps to become an RTD candidate are:
- Determine which RTD district you live in.
- Electronically submit a candidate affidavit.
- Apply for a petition to gather signatures
- Collect and submit 250 valid signatures before July 11, 2024.
The process required to become a candidate for the RTD Board is detailed, though not complicated, and Chuck has documented this process so that one can complete it quickly.
Do you see yourself as the solution to government overreach? Would you be willing to be elected to a board? If the answer is yes, we need you to jump into the race! For assistance with the overall process send an email info@i2i.org with “RTD” in the subject box.
Chuck also plans to write out detailed “how-to plans” for Castle Rock and Parker Town Council elections. We need to stop complaining and get involved.
Chuck O’Reilly is a retired accountant living in Larkspur, where he volunteers as the treasurer for many organizations. Kathleen Chandler runs the Citizen Involvement Project at the Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Denver.
