Mayor cruises, progressives lead in Fort Collins races

FORT COLLINS – Progressives were envisioning a sweep of Fort Collins’ nonpartisan City Council races at mid-evening Tuesday, and unopposed Mayor Jeni Arndt breezed to a second term with a more than 92% advantage over write-in challenger Patricia Babbitt.

By the time the Larimer County Clerk’s office finished counting votes for the night, just before 11:30 p.m.., Arndt could claim 27,051 votes, while Babbitt received 2,248.

Meanwhile, District 2 incumbent Julie Pignataro was holding off challenger Eric Hamrick, 3,254 to 2,750, and District 6 council member Emily Francis held a more than 3-to-1 advantage over Alexander Adams, 2,809 to 867.

The council’s only avowed conservative, District 4 incumbent Shirley Peel, was trailing Melanie Potyondy, 4,010 to 3,494. Potyondy had lost to Peel in the last election.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated.

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Dallas Heltzell

With BizWest since 2012 and in Colorado since 1979, Dallas worked at the Longmont Times-Call, Colorado Springs Gazette, Denver Post and Public News Service. A Missouri native and Mizzou School of Journalism grad, Dallas started as a sports writer and outdoor columnist at the St. Charles (Mo.) Banner-News, then went to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before fleeing the heat and humidity for the Rockies. He especially loves covering our mountain communities.