The table below lists the current Councilmembers and Mayor, and shows relevant dates and numbers required for signatures and eligibility.

* The required number of signatures is calculated by taking 25% of the number of total votes cast for all candidates of that seat.  For example, if there were 34,950 total votes cast for all Mayor candidates, it would take 8,738 signatures to meet the requirement because 34,950 * 0.25 = 8,737.5 rounded to the nearest whole number.

** The earliest date recall could occur is one year after the date that term began (the date the Oath of Office was taken).  For example, if a term began on January 9, 2024, then the earliest date recall could occur is January 9, 2025.

*** The latest date recall could occur is six months prior to the end of term (when Oaths of Office are administered to newly-elected or reelected members).  Oaths are administered at a special meeting on the second Tuesday in January after the November election.  For example, if the Mayor's term ends on January 13, 2026, then the latest date recall could occur is six months prior to that, July 13, 2025.

Both State of Colorado law and the Fort Collins Municipal Code can be amended through an initiative process. In order for the citizenry to place an initiative on the ballot, a certain number of signatures must be collected by the proponents of the initiative and submitted to the State or City. As Petition Circulators go about their work, often they will seek to collect signatures on City-owned property. What follows is guidance about how Petition Circulators may collect signatures on sidewalks, in areas outside of City facilities, in areas inside City facilities, and in City Parks and Natural Areas.

• At any time, a Petition Circulator may approach another person on a public sidewalk or walkway or plaza area near a public facility to discuss an initiative petition with them and request that they sign the petition, if the location is open for public use.
• Petition Circulators may stand in and walk around in these areas, if consistent with any applicable City rule governing activities in the particular facility or location.
• Sidewalks/Walkways: In sidewalk/walkway areas, Petition Circulators may carry clipboards for folks to use to sign a petition. However, Petition Circulators are not allowed to place an encroachment on the sidewalk or walkway, such as a table, chair or other object, without a permit, as Section 23-81 of the City Code prohibits any person from placing an encroachment on a public sidewalk without a permit.
• Plaza Areas: Where facilities have paved areas that are open and available for public use and are out of the sidewalk/walkway area, Petition Circulators are also allowed to place a table, chair or other object so long as the table is not affixed in any way, is attended at all times, is removed when the user is not present, and does not obstruct public passage or other intended use of the area or otherwise violate regulations or limits for the particular facility.
• Posting a sign within a public right-of-way without a permit is prohibited by Section 24-152 of the City Code.
• Once a City facility closes for the day, City staff may ask a Petition Circulator to leave the area outside of the City facility if the public is not normally allowed to remain there.

• When a City facility is open to the public, Petition Circulators may use the facility to collect signatures in two ways:
  • By collecting signatures in the lobby or other areas of the City facility open for public use, provided that such use is consistent with any applicable City rule governing the use of the particular City facility and further provided that the Petition Circulators do not impede movement or otherwise interfere with the intended use of the area (*Note: see Addendum Related To Specific City Facilities below*); or
  • By renting a space at a City facility that allows rentals, to hold an election-related event that includes signature gathering, provided that the location of petition signature gathering is limited to the rented space.
• Other than those two methods, it may violate City or facility-specific policies to collect signatures inside City facilities. For example, it may be against the intended use of a classroom that hosts a City Arts and Craft class for a student to ask other students to sign a State or City petition during the class. In that scenario the instructor could properly ask the student to refrain from that activity during the class.
• Petition Circulators may not set up a table or similar item inside of a City facility, unless allowed under any applicable City rule governing the use of the particular City facility.

There are specific City facilities that prohibit indoor/lobby activities other than those for patrons utilizing the facility for its intended use due to congestion issues or other reasons.  The Recreation facilities that this applies to include:

• City Park Pool: Seasonal facility with no inside lobby or access. To enter this facility, you must pay the daily fee.
• Club Tico: This is not a drop in facility. This space is either rented out or holds some pre-registered classes.
• EPIC: There is no lobby before the paywall. EPIC is a facility that has a lot of flow from paid City programs, rental groups like Northern Colorado Youth Hockey, Fort Collins Area Swim Team, Poudre School District and drop in lap swimmers and skaters to open swim and ice times.
• FARM at Lee Martinez Park:  The Farm building is inside the paywall. There is no inside access for petitioners.  
• Foothills Activity Center (FAC):  The facility entrance is inside the Foothills Mall. There is no lobby space inside the area to accommodate petitioners. The group would have to speak with the mall about collecting signatures inside the mall before entering the FAC.
• Pottery Studio: This is not a drop in facility. Only pre-registered classes are held here.
• Rolland Moore Tennis Complex: Public drop in facility with a small pro shop. The pro shop is run by a contracted tennis pro (concessionaire). There is no space inside that lobby to accommodate petitioners.

Petition Circulators cannot impede movement or otherwise interfere with the intended use of an area.  The concern with the listed facilities above is related to impeding movement and interference with the intended use of the area or that the facilities are not drop-in facilities.  

Following further inspection, these Recreation facilities now allow some form of indoor signature collection:

• Northside Aztlan Community Center (NACC): A remodel of the front desk area now enables signature collection in the southeast corner of the lobby by circulators carrying clipboards.  Set up of a table in this location will also be allowed.  Markings have been placed on the floor allowing for up to two tables in the area. The area is first come first served.
• NACC Update:  Due to Summer Camp, there are some additional restrictions for this facility.  No signatures can be collected inside from:

  June 3 – August 12 (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.) or (4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) Monday through Friday.  Signatures can be collected inside on these dates between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and again after 6:00 p.m. until the facility closes.  There is no camp scheduled for June 30 – July 4.

  Signatures can be collected outside the facility without restrictions on time.

• Mulberry Pool: Allows petitioners to circulate petitions using clipboards and to set up a table in the lobby.  This facility can accommodate up to two tables.  The area is first come first served. 

• Senior Center: This facility has periods of high traffic and doesn’t have space to allow for petitioners to set up inside prior to the front desk paywall.  Circulating petitions using clipboards in this area is allowed, so long as traffic can flow freely through the area. Petitioners need to stay on the tan carpeted area prior to the front desk.
  • Specific areas outside the facility in which a table may be set up for collection of signatures have been identified outside of the sheltered area. Petitioners may circulate with a clipboard in the sheltered area outside of the Senior Center so long as traffic can flow freely on the sidewalk.  Petitioners must allow free passage of the public on the sidewalk when signatures are being collected.

There continues to be designated spaces outside of each Recreation facility available for signature gatherers. Please refer to the written guidelines for more information related to these areas.

• Petition Circulators are free to stand in or walk around City Parks and Natural Areas and converse with individuals about an initiative petition in areas that are open to the public during the hours the Parks and Natural Areas are open to the public. This includes Parks’ and Natural Areas’ trails, trailheads, playgrounds, parking lots and anywhere else in a Park or Natural Area that is open to the public.
• Petition Circulators are not allowed to obstruct passage or interfere with intended uses in a Park or Natural Area. It is prohibited to set up a table, chair or other object within a Park or Natural Area, including a parking lot that is part of the Park or Natural Area, if it would impede other users’ movement within the Park or Natural Area, interfere with the intended use of the area or location or if it is otherwise prohibited by City Code or Park or Natural Area regulation.
  • For example, in many Natural Area locations travel off trail is not allowed.
• Any table, chair or other object is not allowed to be affixed in any way, and must be attended at all times and removed when the user is not present
• Posting a sign within a City Park without a permit is prohibited by Section 23-203(d)(11) of the City Code. Posting a sign within a Natural Area without a permit is prohibited by Section 23-193(d)(12) of the City Code.