Fort Collins is on the search for a new City Council member to represent District 6, following Emily Francis's ascent to the mayor's office. This call for candidates is a beckon to those civic-minded individuals who are ready to step up and serve their community at the local government level.
There's a firm deadline for applications: they must be turned in by 5 p.m. on December 31, according to the City of Fort Collins. The process will be rigorous, with the City Council set to trim down the pool to five or fewer contenders in a special meeting on January 13, 2026. Not much time will pass before the interviews take place on the next day, January 14, with the newly selected council member to be officially sworn in at the City Council meeting on January 20.
The City Council has opened up the lines of communication, inviting the public to weigh in on the applicants. Concerned citizens and vocal community members who have thoughts on who should represent them have until the selection process is concluded to email their comments to [email protected] or the traditional route, via post to the City Clerk’s Office, P.O. Box 580, Fort Collins, CO 80522.
The criteria, while straightforward, are non-negotiable: applicants must be U.S. citizens, registered voters in Fort Collins for at least one year before the appointment, 21 years of age or older, and residents of Council District 6. Moreover, they should come with clean records, particularly void of felony convictions for a rather specific list of offenses, including embezzlement of public money, bribery, perjury, or the solicitation thereof. The appointee's term is not for the long haul, set to expire after the November 2027 municipal election. However, options remain open: if the appointed Councilmember wants to stay on, they can run for election in November 2027.
