2025 Election Voter Guide Available Online, Not Mailed to Fort Collins Residents
Fort Collins has published its first comprehensive voter information guide for the 2025 municipal election, but residents will not receive copies in the mail. The guide is available online and at select public locations, featuring information on ranked choice voting, council candidates and all 10 ballot measures.
City Clerk Delyn Vander Houwen presented the guide to the Fort Collins City Council at its October 14 work session, explaining that while the document will not be mass-mailed to households, printed copies are available at all three Fort Collins libraries, the senior center and City Hall.
"We are not mailing it to everybody, so I want everybody to know that, but we do have printed copies," Vander Houwen said.
Residents can access the guide at fcgov.com by searching for "voter information" or by visiting the city's elections page directly. A Spanish translation of the guide will be posted on the city website October 15.
First Use of Ranked Choice Voting in Municipal Race
The 2025 election marks Fort Collins' first use of ranked choice voting for municipal offices after voters approved the system in November 2022. Fort Collins became the largest city in Colorado to implement ranked choice voting when voters adopted the measure during the 2022 midterm elections.
The voter guide includes detailed instructions on how to complete ranked choice ballots, along with examples showing correct and incorrect ways to fill out the ballot. The guide also explains what happens if voters make marking errors.
Under ranked choice voting, voters can rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting a single candidate. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their supporters' second choices are redistributed until a candidate achieves a majority.
Council Seats and Ballot Measures Detailed
Four city council positions appear on the November 4 ballot: mayor, District 1 councilmember, District 3 councilmember and District 5 councilmember. The mayor serves a two-year term while council members serve four-year terms.
The guide provides links to individual candidate websites for each of the contested races, allowing voters to review candidate information directly from the source.
All 10 ballot measures include the official ballot question, a summary of the measure, explanations of what "yes" and "no" votes mean, and arguments both for and against each proposal. The guide presents this information in a standardized format for each measure to help voters make informed decisions.
Early Voting Encouraged by County Officials
Larimer County mailed ballots to registered voters October 11, and Larimer County Clerk and Recorder Tina Herrera is encouraging residents to vote early. The county can begin counting ballots October 20, according to information shared with the council.
Herrera indicated that approximately one-third of ballots are received on Election Day after 7 p.m., which creates a processing backlog. Earlier ballot returns allow election officials to process more votes before Election Day and produce faster results.
The guide emphasizes that ballot drop boxes are the county's preferred method for returning completed ballots because the chain of custody remains unbroken. When voters mail ballots, there is a period when the ballot is outside county control.
Fort Collins residents can return ballots at voter service and polling centers or at designated ballot drop boxes located throughout the city. The guide includes a map showing all Fort Collins drop box locations, though additional sites are available in Loveland and Estes Park.
Voter Resources and Assistance
The guide provides information on voter registration verification, replacement ballot procedures and accessibility assistance for voters who need help completing their ballots. Active links throughout the online version connect voters to the Colorado Secretary of State website and Larimer County election resources.
Voters can check their registration status at govotecolorado.com. Those needing replacement ballots or in-person voting assistance can visit voter service and polling centers listed in the guide.
The guide also includes answers to frequently asked questions about both the general election and ranked choice voting procedures, along with contact information for election officials.
The official election date is November 4. This will be a coordinated mail ballot election administered by the Larimer County Clerk and Recorder in partnership with Fort Collins.