This page provides comprehensive information about voting in Fort Collins elections, including registration requirements, election calendars and complaint processes. Residents can find details about upcoming elections, Council districts and how to participate in the democratic process.
Next Election: Nov. 3, 2026
Register to vote, view, or update your registration at the Colorado Secretary of State's website.
Voter Registration Requirements
You must meet all requirements to register to vote:
- United States citizen
- At least 18 years old on or before Election Day
- Colorado resident for at least 22 days before the election
To vote in City of Fort Collins elections, you must also live within Fort Collins city limits.
Preregistration Available
If you are 16 or 17 years old, you can preregister to vote using the link above with proof of age.
Fort Collins has six City Council Districts. Voters in each District nominate and elect candidates. The Mayor is elected by the entire city.
November 4, 2025 Election
- Upon candidacy: Candidate Affidavit is due within 10 days of becoming a candidate. Committee registration is needed before accepting contributions or making expenditures.
- April 2: Council Information Session for those interested in running for Council; 6 p.m., Council Chambers
- July 7: Earliest day to publish notice of Charter amendments
- Aug. 5-26: Circulation dates for nomination petitions
- Aug. 6: Last day to file initiative petitions and citizen-initiated Charter amendments for the November ballot. (This date does not give enough time to get an item approved by City Council for the November ballot. The ideal timeline would place the item on first reading on August 5. A sample timeline can be found in the Initiative Guidelines.)
- Sept. 5: Deadline to certify ballot content with the County. All official candidates will be known.
- Sept. 5 (or before - see note): Deadline to publish Charter amendments. (Note: Must publish Charter Amendments within 30 days after City Council adoption and no later than 60 days before the election.)
- Sept. 15: Council Candidate Orientation Session; 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers
- Sept. 19: Deadline to submit pro and con statements for TABOR issues. Submit to the City Clerk's office.
- Sept. 19: Last day for petition representatives to submit summarized comments in favor of their petition.
- No later than Sept. 20: Larimer County will mail ballots to military and overseas voters
- Oct. 3: Deadline to mail TABOR notices to households with registered voters
- Oct. 13: Must be a Colorado resident by this date to participate in the election.
- Oct. 13-17: Window for Larimer County to mail ballots to all eligible voters (exact date unknown)
- Nov. 1: Annual campaign finance reports are due for any committees that remain open. Reports will be posted online shortly after receipt.
- Nov. 4: Election Day!
- Nov. 12: Last day to receive military and overseas ballots and for voters to cure signature deficiencies
- Nov. 14: Deadline for Larimer County to count all ballots and complete a summary results report
- Nov. 26: Last day for Larimer County to certify the official election results
- Nov. 26: Last day for interested parties to request and file a recount at their own expense
- Dec. 5: Last day to complete a required statutory recount of any race
- Dec. 9: Last day to complete a recount of the 2025 coordinated election requested by an interested party
Protesting a Ballot Title (Prior to Placement on the Ballot)
Any registered voter in the City may protest a proposed ballot title and/or submission clause for any initiated or referred measure. To do so, the voter must file a notice of protest(PDF, 199KB) with the City Clerk no later than noon on the Monday before City Council considers the ordinance or resolution setting the ballot title and submission clause. City Council will hear, consider and resolve the protest before adopting the ordinance or resolution.
This document is provided for printing purposes. For assistance viewing or reading this document, please contact the City's ADA Coordinator via email adacoordinator@fortcollins.gov or phone: 970-416-4254.
Campaign Complaints
Filing an Election Complaint for Violation of City Campaign Laws
Any candidate or registered voter in the City who believes a violation of City Code Chapter 7, Article V has occurred may file a written complaint with the City Clerk. The complaint must be filed no later than 60 days after the alleged violation occurred.
The complaint must contain:
- The name of the alleged violator
- The Code provision allegedly violated
- A brief statement describing the offense and the basis for the allegation
- All documentation or other factual evidence known to the complainant to support the allegation
- Identification of any witnesses or persons with relevant knowledge
- The name, address and telephone number of the complainant
Complaint Process
All complaints will be reviewed in the following order. If a complaint is dismissed at any stage, it will end at that stage.
Preliminary Review
The City Clerk, working with the City Attorney, will conduct a preliminary review to determine if the complaint is sufficient. Both the complainant and respondent will be notified within three working days of receiving the complaint. A sufficient complaint must:
- Be timely filed under § 7-145 (a)
- Contain the information required by § 7-145(a)(1)
- Properly allege a violation of Chapter 7, Article V, of this Code
Insufficient Complaints
If the City Clerk, working with the City Attorney, determines the complaint is insufficient, the City Clerk will:
- Notify the complainant that the complaint has been dismissed and provide a brief explanation
- Forward the complaint to the respondent and notify them that the complaint has been dismissed
Conflict
If the respondent is a candidate for municipal office or if internal review may raise conflict concerns, the City Attorney will retain special legal counsel to evaluate the complaint.
Criminal Complaints
If the complaint is sufficient and alleges a criminal violation as set forth in § 7-143(b), the City Clerk will forward the complaint to the respondent and to the City Attorney, who will evaluate the complaint for probable cause as provided in Division 2.
Civil Infractions
For sufficient complaints that do not allege a criminal violation, the complaints will be subject to a civil infraction process:
- The City Clerk will forward the complaint to the respondent by email, notifying them that the alleged violation may be subject to a civil infraction and of the presumptive fine under § 7-143(a).
- Upon receiving the complaint and at any time before filing with Municipal Court, the respondent may:
- Pay the fine; or
- Provide any responsive information to the City Clerk regarding the allegations.
Evidentiary Review
After providing notice to the respondent, the City Clerk, working with the City Attorney, will determine if the complainant has provided credible evidence to support a finding that the respondent violated this Article and warrants further investigation. If the City Clerk determines the complaint does not contain credible evidence or does not warrant further investigation, the Clerk will dismiss the complaint and notify both parties of the dismissal and reason.
Cure
Until an investigation begins, the respondent may provide evidence of a cure. A "cure" means evidence of substantial compliance with the applicable law. Upon receiving evidence of a cure, the City Clerk, working with the City Attorney, will determine if the evidence sufficiently cures the violation. If a cure is found, the City Clerk will dismiss the complaint and notify both parties. When reviewing the evidence, the City Clerk will consider:
- The extent of the respondent's noncompliance
- The purpose of the provision violated and whether that purpose was substantially achieved despite the noncompliance
- Whether the noncompliance may properly be viewed as a knowing attempt to mislead the electorate or election officials
Investigation
If the City Clerk, working with the City Attorney, determines the complaint contains credible evidence and warrants further investigation, the City Attorney will arrange for any necessary outside or internal investigators. The City Clerk will notify the respondent and complainant that an investigation has begun and that they may be contacted for an interview or other information gathering. Any additional information that either party wants to provide must be received by the City Clerk within 10 business days. Documentation must be received within 10 working days to be considered during the investigation.
Payment of Civil Fine: Upon receiving payment of the presumptive fine, the City Clerk will close the complaint and notify both parties.
Based on the investigation outcome, the City Clerk, working with the City Attorney, will determine if a violation under Chapter 7, Article 5, of this Code occurred.
If a violation occurred, the complaint will be filed with Municipal Court. If no violation occurred, the City Clerk will dismiss the complaint and notify both parties of the dismissal and reason.
Referral to Municipal Court
Any complaint filed with Municipal Court under this Section will be governed by Article V of Chapter 19 of this Code.
A complainant or any other nonrespondent will not be a party to the City Attorney's initial review, cure proceedings, investigation, or any proceeding in Municipal Court. A complainant may request permission from the Municipal Judge or their designee to file an amicus curiae brief.
Any person who commits a violation of this Article will be personally liable for the penalties imposed. Any candidate will be personally liable for penalties imposed upon the candidate or the candidate's committee and may use campaign contributions to pay penalties.
Violations and Penalties
| Code Section |
Penalty Amount |
| 7-133 - Candidate affidavit; disclosure statement; failure to file. |
No monetary penalty (disqualification per Section 7-133) |
| 7-134 - Registration of committees; termination. |
$150 first offense
$300 each subsequent offense |
| 7-135 - Campaign contributions/expenditures. |
$100 first offense
$200 each subsequent offense |
| 7-136 - Disclosure; filing of reports. |
$100 first offense
$200 each subsequent offense |
| 7-137(b) - Reports to be public record. |
$50 first offense
$100 each subsequent offense |
| 7-138 - Unexpended campaign contributions. |
$100 first offense
$200 each subsequent offense |
| 7-139 - Independent expenditures. |
$100 first offense
$200 each subsequent offense |
| 7-140 - Responsibility for communications. |
$50 first offense
$100 each subsequent offense |
| 7-141 - Expenditures for political advertising; rates and charges. |
$50 first offense
$100 each subsequent offense |
Note: Complaints are considered a public record. Any candidate, candidate committee, issue committee, small-scale issue committee, political committee, or person making an independent expenditure will be provided a copy of any complaint filed against them.