The stage is set for the city of Aspen’s March election, where voters will decide on a new mayor and two city council seats.
Two mayoral candidates and eight council candidates submitted their paperwork to the city clerk by the deadline on Monday to appear on the ballot. Rachel Richards and Katy Frisch will vie for a two-year mayoral term. Current Mayor Torre is serving his third and final term as mayor.
Eight people are running for two open council seats, currently held by Ward Hauenstein and John Doyle. Hauenstein is term-limited; Doyle is not and is running for reelection.
The crowded race for council includes both familiar names and political newcomers. The following city council candidates, listed in alphabetical order by last name, turned in their paperwork to the city by the Monday deadline, City Clerk Nicole Henning confirmed:
Christine Benedetti
John Doyle
Peter Fornell
Emily Kolbe
Maryann Pitt
Torre
Tyler Wilkinson-Ray
Scot Woolley
Doyle was first elected to council in 2021 and is seeking a second term in office. After debating a run for mayor, he decided to run for council instead because he would not be able to commit enough time to a mayoral seat with his current responsibilities in his personal life.
“Aspen’s mayor needs to be 100% committed to the role and its many different responsibilities. With a daughter attending Aspen High School, I feel attempting both responsibilities simultaneously would be a disservice to both,” Doyle said in a statement.
After three terms as mayor, Torre chose to run for council to continue the momentum he said he built on several projects since 2019.
Before serving as mayor, Torre served two terms as a councilman. He is term-limited in his mayoral seat.
“I think I, and the councils that I’ve served with, have done some great work. We’ve definitely moved the needle in the right direction on a myriad of issues … and I’m really proud of the service that I’ve done,” Torre said. “This is work that is ongoing, so if the voters of Aspen want me to stay there and want me to keep working on their behalf, then I’m honored to serve.”
Woolley was born and raised in Aspen. He was recently appointed as the citizen’s representative on the Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority board and is part of a group behind a ballot question that will ask voters to approve allowing the Colorado Department of Transportation to use certain portions of the Marolt and Thomas open spaces as approved in a 1998 record of decision, or in any future RODs, to complete certain highway alignments. Richards is also part of the group behind the ballot question.
“I think it’s time for some fresh ideas and some young leadership in our politics,” Woolley said. “Here in Aspen, it feels like we’re falling behind the potential that we have, and I’d love to be part of creating change that can benefit all of our community.”
Benedetti (Editor’s note: Benedetti is the editor-in-chief of Aspen Local Magazine which is owned and published by the same media company as Aspen Daily News; and is married to Aspen Daily News publisher David Cook) decided to run for city council after 19 years living in the Roaring Fork Valley to bring a new perspective to council, she said.
“The most obvious (perspective) is that I’m a woman, but I’m also a young mother, I’m a young professional, I have served in both nonprofit and for-profit realms in businesses in the community, and I just kind of feel like I get the big picture and hope that lens serves Aspen,” Benedetti said.
Wilkinson-Ray has lived in Aspen for six years and runs a photo and video production studio working with businesses like Aspen Skiing Co. and various hotels in Aspen. Before moving to Aspen, he worked in public policy consulting in Vermont, addressing issues such as affordable housing and energy efficiency.
He chose to run for council to address what he sees as the “Disneyland-ification” of Aspen.
“I think I see us heading towards a place where there is not a community, there’s a place for tourists to visit,” Wilkinson-Ray said. “I think it’s an important time for people to step up and support the ability of people to live here and to form a sense of community.”
Fornell turned in his paperwork to run for city council last week. A longtime affordable housing developer in the valley, Fornell previously told the Aspen Daily News that he chose to run for council because he wants to bolster the APCHA program and “mend the relationship between the housing authority and the citizens that they represent.”
Aspen Daily News could not immediately get contact information for Kolbe or Pitt.
Henning, the city clerk, will verify each candidates’ signatures over the holidays. Once the signatures are verified, the candidates will sign affidavits and turn in financial registration to the city. Henning has verified signatures for Richards, Frisch, Fornell and Woolley.
The election will take place on Tuesday, March 4.