Why one Colorado town might allow some LLCs to vote alongside residents

Who is allowed to vote in a resort town’s election when a large chunk of the town’s homeowners are not full-time residents? And how does it change the equation if many of the town’s homes are owned by private companies, rather than individuals? 

These are questions that periodically come up in resort areas like Aspen or Vail. And leaders in Mountain Village, located above Telluride, are debating these issues now.  

The town’s charter already allows people who own property in Mountain Village, but don’t live there year-round, to vote in municipal elections. It’s currently the only town in Colorado that lets nonresidents have a say in local races on issues like new regulations or taxes. Now the town board is studying whether Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) – which own hundreds of homes in Mountain Village – should also get to vote. 

Jason Blevins has been covering the debate for The Colorado Sun. He joined host Erin O’Toole to unpack the issue – and what it says about the tension between residents in resort towns and the tourism business that traditionally shaped the local economy.