RTD board draws few candidates this election cycle

One of the state’s most important public bodies that oversee a $776 million operating budget and services that move over three million people across the metro area, has drawn few candidates to run for its governing board.

Four out of the eight seats on the Regional Transportation Director Board of Directors lack ballot-qualified candidates, leaving write-in candidates as the only option, according to the Denver Post. Of the rest, just two have competitive races. Six candidates, mostly incumbents, made the ballot overall, the Post states.

Few people are stepping up to run for the board which faces big decisions in the next few years about mass transit in the metro area, say local officials. Of the local RTD races, only incumbent Lynn Guissinger faces an opponent in Richard O’Keefe.

Broomfield resident Erik Davidson represents District I on the RTD Board which includes Longmont, Erie, Lafayette and Broomfield. Davidson, who was appointed to the board by the Boulder County Commissioners in 2020, is not facing an opponent. Davidson said he’s not sure why there are fewer people running for the board during this election cycle.

“It is possible that the immense challenges facing US public transportation combined with the current political environment combined with historical public frustration with RTD have combined to give pause to prospective candidates,” Davidson said via email.

“The high time commitment may also be a deterrent in the current time when it seems as though many people are living lives that are even busier and more demanding than before the COVID pandemic,” he said.

Davidson said he is running because when things are most difficult, that’s when help is most needed.

“Good public transportation is an essential part of Colorado’s future. RTD has to manage its limited resources well while simultaneously striving to broaden access throughout the region,” Davidson said. “I have worked with my colleagues on the Board and on staff over the past two years to stabilize RTD to ensure its future. RTD needs help, and I look forward to continuing to serve.”

Vince Buzek, a former Broomfield City Council member, is running unopposed for a second term in District J. He couldn’t be reached by the Leader. But he told the Post that it is too early to be concerned about the dearth of candidates.

“I don’t think you can take one election cycle as an indicator of all future election cycles to come,” said Buzek, the board chair. “I am thinking this is a one-off because you usually have quite a bit of interest in the RTD seats … I guess we’ll find out in future election cycles if it’s a trend,” he told the Post.

Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy said she speculates that potential candidates are staying away from the board because it is a reliable target for critics who feel the agency doesn't serve them well. 

That is especially true in Boulder County as the board has not delivered the promised northwest rail line, she said.

“It’s a tough job to have,” Levy said. “I wouldn’t want to run for it.”