Becoming a Candidate

What's it like to serve on City Council?

HOW DO I BECOME A CANDIDATE?

• Be 21 years old.
• Be a citizen of the United States.
• Be a registered voter in the City of Lakewood.
• Be a resident of Lakewood for at least 12 consecutive months preceding the date of the election and a resident of the ward you wish to represent. Any person elected to office must continue to live within the ward from which he or she was elected throughout the term of office.

Things to do
Read and understand the Lakewood Municipal Code, Chapter 2.54, titled Campaign and Political Finance in Municipal Elections and the City Clerk's Campaign Finance Rules and Regulations(PDF, 616KB).

Candidate Affidavit

• Must be submitted within 10 days after an individual becomes a candidate and circulating any petitions.
• A person is a candidate for election if the person has publicly announced an intention to seek election to public office, or has received a contribution or made an expenditure in support of the candidacy.

Petition Requirements
Mayor and City Council candidates must submit a petition of 25 signatures from registered Lakewood voters who support the candidate. Council Candidates must collect 25 signatures from registered Lakewood voters that live in their respective ward.

Committee Registration Form

• All candidate committees shall register with the City Clerk within 10 days after accepting any contribution or making any expenditure.

Contribution & Expenditures Report

• We ask that all candidates and committees register and file campaign finance reports through the City's online campaign finance reporting system.
• Committees must report all contributions received and all expenditures made as defined in Lakewood Municipal Code, Chapter 2.54, titled Campaign and Political Finance in Municipal Elections and as further defined in the Campaign Finance Rules & Regulations.

Candidates must comply with the city of Lakewood guidelines relating to the distribution of campaign literature(PDF, 328KB) and the sign code regulations(PDF, 656KB).

If you have any questions, please call the City Clerk's Office at 303-987-7080.

All election documents submitted to the city of Lakewood are subject to the Colorado Open Records Act and may be open to public inspection, except as provided in the act itself (C.R.S. 24-72-201 to 24-72-309).