Frequently Asked Questions
These answer how the November 3, 2026 election works. The Commission does not answer whether Niwot should incorporate, or what a future town ought to do — those are questions for the campaigns and for voters, not for the body administering the election.
What am I voting on?
Three separate things on one ballot: whether Niwot should incorporate as a municipality; whether a nine-member home rule charter commission should be formed; and which nine candidates to elect to that charter commission. The ballot also carries five fiscal questions required under Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution (TABOR).
Who can vote in this election?
Registered electors who reside within the proposed boundary. Residents of Boulder County outside that boundary do not vote on these questions, though they will receive a ballot for the other races in the November coordinated election.
How do I know whether my address is inside the boundary?
The boundary is defined by the legal description in Exhibit A of the incorporation petition and mapped in Exhibit B. Those exhibits govern.
An address-lookup tool is also available at niwot.town/boundary. That tool is operated by the Niwot Incorporation Committee, not by this Commission.
How do I get my ballot?
The same way you get any November ballot. This is a coordinated election conducted by the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder, so Niwot's questions appear on the ballot the County mails you. There is no separate Niwot ballot to request.
Voter registration, ballot delivery, drop-box locations, and vote centers are all County Clerk functions. The Election Commission does not handle them.
How do I register to vote or update my address?
Through the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder at bouldercountyvotes.gov. If you have moved within or into the proposed boundary, update your registration — eligibility to vote on these questions depends on the address at which you are registered.
Should I vote for charter commissioners even if I oppose incorporation?
That is your decision. As a practical matter the questions are linked: the charter commission exists to write a charter for a municipality, so if incorporation is not approved, there is no municipality for a charter to govern and the elected commissioners have nothing to draft.
Voting in the charter commission race is not a vote for incorporation, and voting against incorporation does not disqualify you from voting in that race.
Is the draft charter I have seen online the one being voted on?
No. No charter is on this ballot. Any draft charter currently circulating was written by the Niwot Incorporation Committee and has no legal force.
If incorporation passes, the nine elected charter commissioners write the charter. They may use an existing draft, revise it, or start over. Whatever they produce goes back to voters for approval in a later election.
What happens after the election?
The Commission certifies the canvassed results to the Boulder County District Court. If incorporation is approved, the court enters an order of incorporation. If it is not approved, the process ends and no municipality is created.
Why did a court appoint an election commission?
Because Niwot has no municipal clerk and no governing body — both are created by incorporation, not before it. That leaves no one holding the offices that normally run a municipal election.
Colorado's home rule incorporation statute resolves this by assigning those functions to court-appointed Election Commissioners (C.R.S. § 31-2-209). The Boulder County District Court appointed six Niwot residents on May 21, 2026.
Does the Commission have a position on incorporation?
No. The Commission administers the election. It does not advocate for or against incorporation, and it does not draft the charter.
The Commission is a separate body from the Niwot Incorporation Committee, which does advocate. Material published by the Committee is not published by, reviewed by, or attributable to the Commission.
Can I attend a Commission meeting?
Yes. Meetings of the Commission are open to the public for observation. Dates, times, locations, and noticed agendas are published on the Meetings page.
Something Not Answered Here
Questions about the election, candidate petitions, or Commission meetings may be directed to Lois Adamson, Chair of the Election Commission, at (303) 478-6612 or lois.adamson@niwot.town.
Questions about voter registration, ballots, or drop boxes should go to the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder at bouldercountyvotes.gov.
Can I submit a comment for or against a ballot issue?
Yes. TABOR requires that every registered elector receive a mailed notice containing summaries of written comments filed for and against each ballot issue. The Commission accepts those comments from any eligible resident.
See Ballot Questions for how to file one and by when.