Jorgensen elected; Booth, Fox to vie for second council seat

The results of April’s primary election were finalized during a special City Council meeting Monday, April 19, declaring Sherri Jorgensen elected and Cokie Booth and Mathew Fox to face off for the second open seat in the June 15 general election.

“Upon canvassing the results, Sherri Jorgensen shall be considered elected in the primary with 2,227 votes and will be sworn into office at the July 13, 2021, City Council meeting,” said Acting City Clerk Tami McKay at Monday’s special meeting.

To be elected, Jorgensen needed at least 2,056 votes to receive a majority from the 4,111 voters who cast their ballots in the election.

“I’m excited, and thankful and grateful,” she said Monday when the results of the election were made official. “I was a little bit surprised, but pleasantly surprised. I’m excited to go in and serve. I haven’t let myself get excited until now.”

Mayor Kiernan McManus congratulated Jorgensen for being elected to a seat on the council. He also said he had reviewed the voting results and found no processing or tabulation errors.

Booth and Fox came in second and third, respectively, in the primary with 1,376 and 1,182 votes.

“Should you elect me as your next city councilwoman, I will bring my vast knowledge and experience of the city ordinances, city charter, meeting procedures and state law through an approach comprised of council members and unity of all citizens,” Booth said after Monday’s meeting.

Fox did not respond to multiple requests for a comment.

The two seats up for election were held by appointed Councilwomen Judith Hoskins, who came in fourth place in the election with 847 votes, and Tracy Folda, who did not run.

Jorgensen said one of her immediate goals upon joining the council will be to create some unity and “hopefully bring all the players to the table to discuss things.” She said there needs to be less of a “I win, you lose” situation so that the entire community benefits.

“I honestly think we have good ideas on both sides but we need to find some common ground.”

She said she also wants to find ways to get input from local businesses and residents.

During her campaign she said she would meet with five to 10 people a day just to talk with them and “get a good idea of what they were thinking and feeling.”

She would like to continue being available to the community and possibly start regular meetings with businesses or business leaders. She said she also likes the idea of hosting town halls.

“I put my number out there and my email out there. I probably fielded 40 emails and returned 30 phone calls,” she said. “If you call me, email me or text me, I will answer you. You may not love the answer, but I will answer you. I don’t shy away from hard things.”

Jorgensen also said she has no preconceived ideas or agenda.

“I’m honestly coming in to serve the city.”

A lot of what happens when she officially joins the council will depend on decisions the current council makes regarding hiring staff members as well as what voters decide on the June ballot issues.

The election saw 36.19 percent of the registered voters participate. This compares with 33.72 percent who voted in the 2019 primary election, which had eight candidates, and 33.45 percent who voted in the 2017 primary election.

The winner of the general election will be sworn in with Jorgensen on July 13, according to McKay.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter. Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.