Some residents of the municipality of Lakewood are concerned about the possibility of low turnout in an upcoming special election. There are two city council seats, Ward 3 and Ward 4 — two of the largest wards in Lakewood — that are up for grabs this year.
Council member Rich Olver, who was known as a dissenting voice on the council, resigned and moved to Arizona.
Resident Karen Morgan said his voice was needed in the face of a council that typically is in lockstep.
“[There are] little details that Rich would bring up and that was great,” she told CBS Colorado, “and we won’t have that.”
Some of the largest issues in Lakewood persist; crime, homelessness, and housing. In Ward 3, in particular, the continuing fight over property development in Belmar Park will be an important part of the voters’ decision.
Morgan is part of a voter coalition that advocates for what she calls sustainable growth, which equates to an increase in housing but not at the expense of open space usable for the public.