Voters in Cortez selected five candidates for City Council and weighed in on four charter questions in Tuesday’s all-mail ballot election, according to unofficial results released Tuesday evening.
In the council race, Clarisa Osborn led with 1,028 votes, followed by incumbent Dennis Spruell and Carly Wolf. The top five finishers will take seats on the City Council.
Unofficial results as of April 7 at 9 p.m. show:
Clarisa Osborn — 1,028 votes
Dennis Spruell — 997 votes
Carly Wolf — 905 votes
Kathleen Swope — 857 votes
Claire West — 826 votes
Bruce Burkett — 757 votes
Travis Shepherd — 691 votes
Randy Vialpando — 627 votes
James McGinley — 239 votes
Charles P. Borchini Jr. — 235 votes
Michael Earl Bischoff AKA "Gandolf" — 133 votes
Voters also considered four proposed changes to the city charter.
Question 1 updates and clarifies portions of the charter, including city management roles, budgeting processes, and outdated language. Voters chose: Yes — 1,080, No — 609.
Question 2 allows City Council to set its own pay by ordinance, with changes taking effect for future councils. Voters chose: Yes — 972, No — 709.
Question 3 allows council members to participate in meetings remotely. Voters chose: Yes — 1,035, No — 650.
Question 4 shortens the waiting period for former council members to run again after reaching term limits. Voters chose: Yes — 738, No — 919.
The charter questions addressed updates to city governance, council procedures, and term limits.
Voters approved three of the four measures.
Ballots were due by 7 p.m. Tuesday at official drop boxes across the city. According to the City of Cortez, over 1,700 ballots were cast, an increase from the last municipal election in 2024.
The results are expected to shape council priorities in the coming year, including infrastructure, economic development, and long-term planning. In responses to KSJD ahead of the election, candidates emphasized issues such as maintaining a balanced budget, improving city infrastructure and water systems, supporting local businesses, and strengthening community engagement.
These results are unofficial and will be finalized following certification by the city. Newly elected council members are expected to be sworn in at an upcoming City Council meeting later this month.
