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TOWN OF MONUMENT Regular Municipal Election Tuesday, November 5, 2024 CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACKET Prepared by Laura Hogan Director of Administration, CMC ---PAGE BREAK--- August 5, 2024 To Monument Town Council Candidates: The enclosed materials have been prepared for your reference regarding the Town of Monument Regular Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. The election will be conducted as coordinated mail ballot election with El Paso County. Prior to this upcoming election, the Town of Monument (“Town”) was a statutory town with a governing body called the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees was comprised of six trustees and one mayor, all of which were elected at-large. In November of 2022, Monument voters approved the Town to become a home rule municipality governed by a Town Council consisting of a mayor and six councilmembers. The Town’s home rule charter (“Charter”) requires that two councilmembers and the mayor are to be elected at-large, and two councilmembers are to be elected from each of the two residential districts. The mayor and each councilmember are elected to four-year terms, unless a two-year term is required to restore the staggering of terms of councilmembers from the same residential district. At the upcoming election, Monument voters will elect four councilmembers to the following offices for the terms shown: At-Large Councilmember – 4-year term District 1 Town Councilmember – 4-year term District 2 Town Councilmember – 4-year term District 2 Town Councilmember – 2-year term For each Residential District, the candidate with the highest number of votes shall be elected to serve the four-year term and the candidate with the next highest number of votes shall be elected to serve the two-year term. To be eligible to be elected to the office of councilmember, candidates must be citizens of the United States of America, registered electors of the Town, at least 22 years of age, and a resident of the Town for a period of no less than 24 consecutive months preceding the election or appointment. Additionally, eligible candidates cannot have been convicted of a felony, be a current Town employee, be a candidate for more than one Town elective office, or hold any other elective position with a federal, state, county, special district, or municipal government entity. Lastly, to be elected to represent one of the two residential districts, candidates must reside within the district they are seeking to represent. Municipal elections are nonpartisan, and nomination is accomplished by petition. To become a residential district candidate, at least 10 valid signatures from registered voters residing within the district you seek to represent must be collected on nomination petitions supplied by the town clerk beginning no sooner than Tuesday, August 6. Circulated nomination petitions, along with signed and notarized affidavits of circulation, acceptance of nomination, and satisfaction of requirements are due back to the clerk’s office no later than Monday, August 26, at 5:00 pm. Each candidate will receive notification indicating the status of his/her petition’s sufficiency. If a petition is not sufficient, additional signatures may be collected on an additional nomination petition packet and filed with the clerk before close of business on Friday, August 30. A drawing ---PAGE BREAK--- by lot will be held at the regular meeting of the Town Council on Tuesday, September 3, to determine the order candidates will be listed on the official ballot. It is not mandatory that either the candidate or a representative appointed by the candidate be present for the drawing. Ballots will be mailed to all active registered electors between October 14 and October 18. Eligible active military or overseas voters will be mailed a ballot no later than September 21. Election results are not official until after the canvass of votes has been completed no later than November 27. The term of office for each councilmember will commence upon the taking the oaths of office at the first regular meeting in January following the election, scheduled for January 6. It is the responsibility of each candidate to become familiar with and meet the reporting and filing provisions of the Fair Campaign Practices Act. Candidate, issue, and political committees are required to file regularly scheduled reports of all contributions/loans received and expenditures made regarding any campaign and/or ballot issue or ballot question. To further assist you in your candidacy, I have attached the following document to this guide: An Election Calendar with important dates and deadlines 2024 FCPA Filing Calendar If you have questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at [PHONE REDACTED], or email me at [EMAIL REDACTED]. I wish you all the best in your campaign! Sincerely, Laura Hogan Director of Administration, CMC ---PAGE BREAK--- ARE YOU CONSIDERING RUNNING FOR OFFICE? This article provides general information about life as an elected official in the Town of Monument. It is based in part on legal requirements outlining the duties and responsibilities of the Town’s elected officials but is more heavily based on the real-life experiences of elected officials that have lived the role. It provides points for consideration as you decide whether to pursue election. Other materials you will receive in your petition packet contain facts about how to run, what your candidacy obligations are, and how the election will be run. This article, on the other hand, addresses the initial questions you may have before deciding whether to take the next step. GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE The municipal government provided by the Charter is a “Council-Manager” form of government. Pursuant to the Charter provisions and subject only to limitations imposed by the Colorado Constitution, all powers shall be vested in an elected Town Council, which shall enact local legislation, adopt budgets, determine policies and appoint the Town Manager who shall execute the laws and administer the Town government. All powers of the Town shall be exercised in the manner prescribed by the Charter or, if the manner be not so prescribed, then in such manner as may be prescribed by ordinance, resolution or motion, or as provided by other applicable law. TOWN COUNCIL The Town of Monument’s governing body consists of six elected councilmembers and an elected mayor, collectively the Town Council. The Town Council shall consist of the Mayor and six Council Members. Two Council Members and the Mayor will be elected at-large. Two of the Council Members shall be elected from each of the two residential districts. The mayor has the same obligations as each of the councilmembers, plus some additional duties as the ceremonial head of the Town and others required by the Charter and the Town of Monument’s Municipal Code. At the first meeting, following biennial election, the Council shall appoint one of the councilmembers as mayor pro tem who, in the absence of the mayor (or the mayor's inability to act) shall perform the duties of mayor. REASONS TO RUN People choose to serve their cities and towns as elected officials for various reasons. Regardless of the motive, if you are contemplating serving your community as a member of the Town Council, you should be prepared for the demands, expectations, and rewards that accompany the role. The Town of Monument has a proud tradition of active and involved elected officials who largely exceed the minimum requirements. The Town Council sets public policy, and sound policy decisions are the result of hard work. For this reason, elected officials are encouraged to conduct work outside of the regular meetings. Our dedicated councilmembers volunteer their time reviewing meeting materials, educating themselves about the public policy issues, interacting with constituents and other elected officials, educating and informing constituents, attending meetings with other agencies and governments, serving on appointed committees, and acting as liaisons with staff and other agencies. YOU’VE GOT SUPPORT Recalling the adage that “no good deed goes unpunished”, it can at times seem like all you ever hear from are aggrieved citizens. Happily (and hopefully just when you need it), you will see the ---PAGE BREAK--- benefits of a Council decision play out for the good of the community or you will occasionally get a much needed thank-you. You will share the dais with others with a deep concern for the Town and its citizens. Sometimes you won’t agree with all of them, but you will be expected to disagree with professionalism and respect. All councilmembers have different backgrounds and but knowing you share a common goal will create a united board. TIME COMMITMENTS Your experience as an elected official is dependent on your commitment. Attendance at regular and special meetings is required, except for excused absences. The rest of the commitments listed are obligations that councilmembers in the Town have traditionally accepted. Regular and Special Meetings: Town Council meets regularly on the first and third Mondays of each month. Meetings begin at 6:30 pm and conclude when the agenda items have been discussed. When a meeting falls on a holiday, the meeting is rescheduled to the following Tuesday. Infrequently, additional meetings are scheduled when the urgency of business is required. In advance of council meetings, packets of meeting materials are distributed to councilmembers midway through the preceding week. Review of the packet can take several hours, and councilmembers are requested to send any questions raised by such materials to appropriate Town staff by Monday morning to allow time for questions to be addressed before or at the Monday evening meeting. Agendas and packets can also be found on the Town of Monument website at www.townofmonument.org. Training: Newly elected officials are required to attend training sessions with town staff and the town attorney to become familiar with a variety of important subjects related to their service. These training sessions can last several days and are often scheduled in the evenings or on the weekends following the election. Committee Participation: The Town has internal advisory committees to research and provide guidance to the Council on setting public policy. In addition, there are special districts and other governmental and quasi-governmental authorities that provide important public services to the Town’s citizens. Councilmembers volunteer for these committees or organizations to act as liaisons for the town. Time commitment will vary, and meetings could be held during the day or evenings. From time to time, the Town convenes ad hoc committees to review proposals for services contracts, interview candidates for appointments to boards and commissions, or consider special issues that come before the Town. Each councilmember is asked to volunteer some of their time to one or more of these committees. Individual Constituent Interaction: Constituents expect members of the Town Council to be available to communicate via e- mail and phone calls about their concerns and to be diligent and consistent in their follow up. ---PAGE BREAK--- Miscellaneous Time Commitments: Beyond the duties listed above, members of the Town Council are often asked to be present at ribbon cuttings, local ceremonies, community events, and important Town traditions. CAN YOU MAKE IT WORK? Now that you understand the legal and traditional time commitments of elected officials, prospective candidates should evaluate their professional and personal responsibilities and determine: Will your job/schedule allow the flexibility to be at Town Hall by 6:30 pm on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month (or occasional Tuesdays) and any special meetings called? Will your professional and personal life allow for attending occasional weekend or evening study sessions? Will you be able to commit to the occasional working or focus group meetings, which are sometimes held during afternoon or evening hours? Are you organized in a manner which will allow you to interact with your constituents while still allowing you uninterrupted personal and/or professional time? (These constituent interactions can include emails, phone calls, meeting residents for coffee, attending occasional HOA meetings or special meetings called by residents.) Are you willing and able to occasionally serve on Town-formed ad hoc committees? Do you have an interest in attending various community events? Do you have time late in the week and over the weekend to review the packets? MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION If you decide to run for office, you will learn about the town, policies, your neighbors, effective political exchange of ideas, time management, and being a public figure. Past town elected officials have felt their role is rewarding and important. The decision to run for an elected position should be made after careful consideration of your situation and ability to commit. However, many of the town’s elected officials have chosen to run for a second term and recall the experience as rewarding and fulfilling. ---PAGE BREAK--- ELECTION INFORMATION The Town of Monument holds regular municipal elections, for the election of officers, on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday of November of even-numbered years. Municipal elections are nonpartisan, and nomination is accomplished by petition. Candidate(s) receiving the highest number of votes are elected to serve four-year terms unless a two-year term is required to restore the staggering of terms of councilmembers from the same residential district. Monument has not repealed term limits; therefore, the limitations on terms for the offices of mayor, at-large councilmembers, and residential district councilmembers is a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms. Terms of office are considered consecutive unless they are at least four years apart. For purposes of calculating term limitations, the offices of mayor, at-large councilmember, and residential district councilmember are considered separate offices. CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Candidates must meet all the following criteria pursuant to section 2.6 of the Charter: Must be a citizen of the United States Must be a registered elector of the Town Must be at least 22 years of age Must be a resident of the Town for a period of at least 24 consecutive months preceding the election May not have been convicted of a felony May not be an employee of the Town May not be a candidate for more than one Town elective office at any municipal election May not hold any other elective position with a federal, state, county, special district, or municipal government entity NOMINATION PROCEDURE Municipal candidates are nominated by petition. Nomination petitions must be filed in the Town Clerk’s office in accordance with CRS § 31-10-302. Each nomination petition shall be completed with the name of the candidate as he/she wishes it to appear on the ballot, the candidate’s place of residence, and the office being sought. Candidates may use a nickname but may not use any title or degree designation with the business or profession of the candidate. Candidates may withdraw from the election by submitting a written affidavit to the Town Clerk stating their withdrawal pursuant to CRS § 31-10-303. WRITE-IN CANDIDATES Write-in candidate votes will not be counted unless an Affidavit of Intent has been timely received pursuant to CRS § 31-10-306. CIRCULATION OF NOMINATION PETITIONS Candidates may circulate their own petitions or have others circulate petitions for them. However, each nomination petition can only be circulated by one person. Nomination petitions cannot be left unattended by the circulator. The circulator must witness and certify by affidavit that each signature is the signature of the person whose name it purports to be, and that each signer has stated to the circulator that he is a registered elector of the municipality for which the nomination is being made. Nominating petitions must contain at least 10 signatures of registered electors residing within the town limits for at-large nomination. Nominating petitions must contain at least 10 signatures ---PAGE BREAK--- of registered electors residing within the residential district for candidates seeking election to represent that specific residential district. Candidates seeking election to represent a residential district must also reside within that residential district. An elector has the right to sign only as many petitions as there are offices to fill. Each registered elector signing the petition must also print their name and physical address as it appears on their voter registration. It is advisable to obtain more than the required 10 signatures in the event a name is challenged, found to be ineligible, or otherwise eliminated. Signatures will be verified by the town clerk. If signatures are eliminated by the clerk resulting in fewer than 10 registered electors signing a petition, the petition circulator will have time in which to amend the petition. The last day to amend a nomination petition is 64 days prior to the election (election day excluded). If the deadline to file and/or amend a nomination petition falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the act shall be done upon the preceding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday pursuant to CRS § 31-10-103. First day petition may be circulated: August 6 Last day to file nomination petition: August 26 Last day to amend or withdraw nomination petition: August 30 VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION To be eligible to vote one must be eighteen years of age, a citizen of the United States, resident of Colorado for at least twenty-two days prior to the election, a resident of the Town of Monument, and properly registered. Electors can register to vote, change their address, and activate their voter registration at: www.govotecolorado.com BALLOTS The position of names on the ballot is determined by lot. A drawing by lot will be held at the regular meeting of the Town Council on Tuesday, September 3 to determine the order candidates will be listed on the official ballot. It is not mandatory that either the candidate or a representative appointed by the candidate be present for the drawing. Ballots will be mailed to all active registered electors between October 14 and October 18. Eligible active military or overseas voters will be mailed a ballot no later than September 21. Election results are not official until after the canvass of votes has been completed no later than November 27. Elected candidates will take their oaths of office and commence their terms of service at a regular meeting scheduled for January 6. ---PAGE BREAK--- FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES ACT The reporting requirements of the Fair Campaign Practices Act (FCPA) apply to all candidates. All forms required by the act must be filed with the town clerk. It is the responsibility of each candidate to become familiar with and meet the reporting and filing provisions of the Fair Campaign Practices Act. STANDALONE CANDIDATES (CANDIDATES WITHOUT COMMITTEES) Standalone candidates are candidates without a candidate committee. You do not need to register a candidate committee if you will not solicit or accept contributions during your candidacy or if you will only spend your own money. You must register a committee if you accept money or other types of contributions from any other person/entity. Standalone candidates must report all expenditures to the municipal clerk. Standalone candidates must itemize all expenditures of $20 or more (either one-time expenditures or expenditures greater than $20 in aggregate during a reporting period). Itemized expenditures must list the name and address of the payee and the purpose of the expense. The law does not require standalone candidates who do not make expenditures to file disclosure reports, but candidates may file a zero report if they choose. Standalone candidates are no longer considered candidates upon losing the election. These individuals do not need to take affirmative action to end their candidacy and do not need to file ongoing disclosure reports. Candidates wishing to exit the race prior to the election must submit a written withdrawal and must file disclosure reports for any reporting periods in which they made expenditures until submitting such a withdrawal or until the election occurs. CANDIDATE COMMITTEES A candidate committee accepts contributions and makes expenditures under the authority of a candidate. A candidate committee includes the candidate. The law does not require the committee to have additional members. A candidate can only have one active candidate committee. When considering running for office, you, your registered agent, fundraisers, and campaign manager should become familiar with the requirements of Article XXVIII of the Colorado Constitution, Title 1, Article 45, C.R.S., and the Rules Concerning Campaign and Political Finance. The Colorado Constitution states that a person becomes a candidate when they: publicly announce an intent to run for office; and receive a contribution or makes an expenditure in support of their candidacy. The Secretary of State recommends registering a candidate committee with the municipal clerk before accepting contributions or making expenditures. You also need to designate a registered agent who will act as the committee’s representative. The candidate can serve as the registered agent or may designate another natural person to serve as registered agent. ---PAGE BREAK--- Please refer to the link below to view the Secretary of State’s campaign finance manual: The following campaign finance forms can be found at: Candidate Affidavit New Committee Registration Independent Expenditure Committee Registration Candidate Statement of Non-receipt of Contributions and Non-expenditures of Funds Statement of Personal Expenditures by a Candidate Report of Contributions and Expenditures Independent Expenditure Report Campaign Finance Complaint ---PAGE BREAK--- TOWN OF MONUMENT REGULAR MUNICIPAL MAIL BALLOT ELECTION CALENDAR FOR CANDIDATES NOVEMBER 5, 2024 – Conducted as a Coordinated Election by El Paso County Date Timeframe Relative to Election Day Action Item & Statutory Reference Aug. 6, 2024 Tuesday 91 days before First day that nomination petitions may be circulated • CRS § 31-10-302 Within 10 days of nomination VARIES Candidates must file Candidate Affidavit and Fair Campaign Practices Act Paperwork with town clerk • CRS Title 1, Article 45 – Fair Campaign Practices Act Aug. 26, 2024 Monday 71 days before Last day that nomination petitions may be circulated, signed, and filed with the town clerk by the close of business • CRS § 31-10-302 Aug. 30, 2024 Friday 64 days before (Period shortened due to CRS § 31- 10-103) Last day that nomination petitions filed that do not contain the requisite number of qualified elector’s signatures can be amended in this respect prior to the election • CRS § 31-10-302(4) Last day a candidate may file a written affidavit to withdraw nomination • CRS § 31-10-303 Sept. 3, 2024 Tuesday 65 days before (Period extended due to CRS § 31- 10-103) Last day to file an affidavit of intent to be a write-in candidate • CRS § 31-10-306 & MMC 1.12.020 Lot drawing held at the regular Board meeting to determine the order candidates are listed on the ballot – candidates are invited but attendance is not required (Monument Town Hall – 6:30 pm) Sept. 21, 2024 Saturday 45 days before Last day for the county clerk to mail ballots to oversees voters • CRS § 1-8.3-110(1) Oct.14 through Oct. 28, 2024 22–18 days before County clerk mails ballots to active registered electors • CRS § 1-7.5-107(3)(a)(1) Nov. 5, 2024 Tuesday Election Day Polling Location must be open from 7 am to 7 pm • CRS § 1-1-104(17), 1-4-201, Rule 7.8.1(b) Ballots must be received by county clerk by 7pm • CRS § 1-7.5-107(4)(b)(II) UOCAVA ballots must be sent by 7pm and received by Nov. 16 • CRS § 1-8.3-111, 1-8.3-113(1) & Nov. 27, 2024 Wednesday 22 days after Last day for county clerk to complete the canvass and submit official abstract of votes to Secretary of State • CRS § 1-10-102(1), 1-10-103(1) Jan. 6, 2025 Monday 1st regular meeting in January Newly elected officials take Oath of Office at Council Mtg. • Home Rule Charter § 2.3 Town Council elects one Councilmember as Mayor Pro-Tem • Home Rule Charter § 2.5 Candidates are encouraged to become familiar and comply with the regulations and reporting requirements outlined in the Fair Campaign Practices Act. Please visit the Town’s website and Campaign Finance webpage at for helpful resources, downloadable forms, and the FCPA filing calendar. All reports required from municipal candidates are to be filed with the town clerk. ---PAGE BREAK--- Town of Monument FCPA Filing Calendar Regular Election – November 5, 2024 Start of Reporting Period End of Reporting Period Due Date – reports must be received by 5pm 1st Report – 60 days before the election Start of Candidacy Sept. 1, 2024 Sept. 6, 2024 2nd Report – 30 days before the election Sept. 2, 2024 Oct. 1, 2024 Oct. 6, 2024 3rd Report – 15 days before the election Oct. 2, 2024 Oct. 16, 2024 Oct. 21, 2024 4th Report – 30 days after the election Oct. 17, 2024 Nov. 30, 2024 Dec. 5, 2024 Annually in off- election years Dec. 1, 2024 Oct. 27, 2025 Nov. 1, 2025