Municipal elections are coming up in a few months, and Cortez City Council has five open seats.
Potential candidates in the April 7 election have until Jan. 17 to declare their candidacy, and until Jan. 27 to submit nominating petitions. Three open seats are for four-year terms, and two are for two-year terms.
Currently, the council consists of Mayor Karen Sheek, Mayor Pro Tem Orly Lucero and councilors Mike Lavey, Gary Noyes, Sue Betts and Ty Keel. Councilor Jill Carlson announced her resignation at the December council meeting, with two years remaining on her term – leaving a vacancy on the council until the election.
Sheek and Keel are term-limited, meaning they cannot seek reelection. Keel was elected in 2012 for a four-year term, and reelected in 2016 for another four years. Sheek was appointed to the council in October 2011 and elected in 2012 and 2016 for four-year terms.
The remaining two open seats are held by Noyes and Betts, who were elected in April 2018 for two-year terms.
Lavey and Lucero, elected to four-year terms in 2018, retain their seats through 2022.
The top three vote-getters will be elected for four-year terms, and fourth- and fifth-place candidates will serve two-year terms. The winners will be sworn in at the regular City Council meeting April 28.
The next mayor and mayor pro tem will be selected by the council after the new councilors are sworn in.
To seek election, candidates must be a registered elector, at least 21 years old and have resided in the city of Cortez for 12 consecutive months preceding the election.
Declaration of Candidacy forms are due by Jan. 17, and nominating petitions are due Jan. 27 by 5 p.m. All forms can be found and submitted to the City Clerk’s office at City Hall, 123 E. Roger Smith Ave.
Nominating petitions must have at least 25 signatures of people who are registered to vote, live in Cortez, and are 18 years of age or older. Signers must list their residence address and cannot sign more than five petitions.
Feb. 3 is the last day to withdraw nomination petitions.
For information, call City Clerk Linda Smith at 564-4008.
ealvero@the-journal.com
