BC Council approves ballot question on candidate residency requirements

By Dylan Scott

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011 | 10:15 a.m.

Boulder City Council approved on Tuesday a ballot question that will have voters determine whether the residency requirement for candidates for city council and mayor should be reduced from two years to 30 days.

In his report to the council, City Attorney Dave Olsen said questions had been raised about the city's requirement of two years, which is substantially longer than the state's minimum requirement of 30 days. At the council's last meeting on Jan. 11, both members of council and the public discussed the merits of each standard.

The council's vote was unanimous. Councilman Cam Walker explained that, although he, the other council members and most of the members of the public who came forward in recent meetings agreed that Boulder City's requirement was appropriate, he saw no harm in putting the question forward. That would allow the voters to give a final say on the matter, he said.

The question will appear on the general election ballot in June.