The Aurora City Council will interview six candidates later this month to determine who will fill the temporary council vacancy to represent Ward Two after Councilwoman Nicole Johnston resigns.

The council set the guidelines for the interviews Monday during its regular study session. The council opted to interview all six candidates who applied for the position, with only council members Curtis Gardner, Dave Gruber and Francoise Bergan objecting.

The interviews will be conducted in-person at 5 p.m. on June 23 in the council chambers. The interviews will be broadcast on auroratv.org for the public to view live.

During the interviews, each council member will get five minutes to ask a question to each candidate, as well as any related follow-up questions. The members must ask each candidate the same initial question – a rule opposed by Gardner and Councilwoman Marsha Berzins.

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Requiring council members to ask each candidate the same interview questions is standard practice for filling committee positions, but was not necessarily required for filling a council seat vacancy.

“There’s a risk involved if you deviate from asking the same questions,” said City Manager Jim Twombly during the study session. “Asking the same question removes any implication that there is a favoritism presented towards one candidate or a group of candidates.”

Each candidate will also get two minutes to introduce themselves before the interview and one minute for closing remarks.

Prior to the candidate interviews on June 23, there will be a public Q&A session at 6:30 p.m. on June 16 that will be broadcast on auroratv.org and open for public questions via a call-in line.

Following these events, a final council vote will be held on June 28 and the chosen candidate will be sworn in on July 12. Their term will last until the general election in November.

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According to the City Clerk’s office, the candidates vying to fill Johnston’s seat are Steve Sundberg, Ryan Ross, Robert O’Riley, Robert Hamilton, Jessica Giammalvo and Luke Kodanko.

Johnston, elected in 2017, is resigning on June 14 to move her children to Colorado Springs to be closer to their father. She will be beginning a new job as project manager of the Community Health Partnership Suicide Prevention Collaborative.

Aurora City Council candidates must be at least 21 years old, a U.S. citizen and a registered voter. Candidates cannot have been convicted of a felony, hold other elective public office or be a salaried employee of the city. Candidates also must have lived in Aurora and in Ward Two for at least one year.

Ward Two comprises the northeast area of Aurora, including neighborhoods from Buckley Air Force Base to Denver International Airport, and from Star K Ranch to the Colorado Air and Space Port.