Colorado Voter Guide: 2024 General Election

Editor’s note: Active voter registration numbers are current as of Sept. 25, 2024, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.

The University of Colorado Board of Regents consists of nine members serving staggered six-year terms, one elected from each of Colorado’s eight congressional districts and one from the state at large. The at-large seat is the only statewide race in the 2024 elections.

At-Large

This is the only seat on the nine-member board that is a statewide election. 

Democrats: 1,008,115; Republican: 901,749; Unaffiliated: 1,883,376; Total active voters: 3,872,161

Elliott Hood

Party: Democrat

Website: www.hoodforcolorado.com 

Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Colorado Boulder; J.D., Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

Bio: Elliott Hood served as an elementary teacher and later as a school attorney. He chairs the Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and previously served as the vice chair of the state commission Colorado Disability Funding Committee. Hood is married to Caroline and they have two sons.

What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?

Affordability and debt. We are pricing out many students from pursuing a college degree, and many who do go to college are burdened with debt for years. We need to make college more affordable by, among other things, expanding financial aid, keeping tuition stable, providing more affordable housing, making books and materials lower cost based on need, locking in four-year tuition rates in a student’s first year, and growing our endowment to help with tuition assistance.

Briefly describe your philosophy on education.

I believe very deeply that the most important thing we can do as a community is to build opportunities for people, and the best way to do that is by providing great public schools to everyone, regardless of their background or zip code. I am proud to have dedicated my professional life to public education.

How will you work to keep tuition affordable?

It is several times more expensive to attend CU as an in-state student than it was when I graduated 20 years ago. We need to slow the pace of tuition increases and prioritize tuition assistance for in-state and lower-income students, who are more likely to take out debt to finance their education. Beyond tuition, we need to lower the cost of an education at CU by making housing, books, and materials more affordable. Given how little our state spends on higher education — mostly due to TABOR — we need to roll up our sleeves and find creative ways to save students money.

Eric Rinard

Party: Republican

Website: rinardforregent.com

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder. 

Bio: A design engineer, Eric Rinard has worked for four different Front Range technology companies since 1986. He was also a systems Engineer in Fort Worth, Texas. He is married and he and his wife have four children, ages 11 to 19.

What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?

I have a lot of listening to do before I can precisely answer this question. As the newest regent, I won’t have all the answers but I am dedicated to help find them, in an objective and inclusive way. One thing I have noticed, however, is that the high cost of living on or around campus essentially doubles the cost of a college education. Development of more student housing must be a priority. Some of the billions of dollars in CU’s liquid assets can be converted to real assets that will benefit students for generations, while not reducing asset principal.

Briefly describe your philosophy on education.

Primary and secondary education must provide a solid foundation in the basics of life, including reading, writing, arithmetic, science and exposure to the arts. Every student must be encouraged and supported to prepare for higher education as well, to the best of their ability. College preparatory options have grown tremendously in Colorado, and universities need to support and adapt to the needs of students in these new programs, such as P-TECH. At the college level, the most important educational components are free speech, reason, and diversity of opinion, regardless of the chosen field of study.

How will you work to keep tuition affordable?

The university must support and encourage innovative high school programs that include college coursework and two-year degrees. This increases readiness and reduces time to earn a degree, both of which lower student costs and increase educational success. I oppose unionization of university staff, which ultimately leads to higher tuition costs.

District 3

The 3rd district covers most of Colorado’s Western Slope and parts of Southern Colorado, including Pueblo County and the San Luis Valley. Its major cities are Grand Junction, Pueblo, Durango and Aspen.

Voter registration: Democrats: 110,158; Republican: 147,869; Unaffiliated: 235,914; Total active voters: 504,308

Robert Logan

Party: Democrat

Website: Loganforcu.com

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, Fort Lewis College; public teaching license, Fort Lewis College; Master’s degree, Denver Seminary 

Bio: Robert Logan served as a public school teacher for 27 years and retired last year. He was a mentor for the Public Education Business Coalition and as an instructional coach for all teachers at Durango High School. He also served in the Air Force. 

What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?

• Reduce the cost of college, for all students, make higher education affordable for all

• Expand the partnerships (not compete) with the other colleges in CD3: Mesa State, Western, Fort Lewis, Adam State. Add value to the district through cooperation

• Expand the partnerships and have a continuous presence in the communities of CD3.

• Improve the involvement of CU with the indigenous groups within CD3.

• Increase the number of instate students accepted and attending one of the four campuses.

• Support collective bargaining for all CU employees

Briefly describe your philosophy on education.

Exploration and curiosity are the cornerstones of learning. When a student finds a reason for understanding a topic/subject and is given the opportunity to explore that subject, the highest level of learning occurs. The teacher/professor’s role is to provide the framework and background for the exploration. When the culture of the classroom is built around those principles and environment is a safe and challenging place to explore, students find motivation for hard work and find joy in learning.

How will you work to keep tuition affordable?

There is no simple or direct solution to this issue, but there are few cost reduction steps that can help.

1. Housing is the most expensive part of the total cost.

•  Concurrent enrollment, AP, IB and other pre-on campus credits reduce the number of years a student is paying for housing/food.

• Promoting the campus in Denver and Colorado Springs as just as valuable as Boulder. (Boulder housing/food is the most expensive)

2. Tuition assistance.

• Increase state funding for all students. $116. per credit hour now; increase to $140.

• Provide free tuition for all families earning less than $100,000. This is funded by foundations/donors. Not the state. One bill with clear definitions of expenses. (No hidden fees)

• Promote the value added elements of CU. Total experience of each campus. Lifelong learning. Future options and jobs.

There is always more that needs to be done. The cost of higher education is a major barrier for too many families that would like to attend a university or college.

Ray Scott

Party: Republican

Website: www.rayscott.co

What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?

Tuition costs and inflation. We shall see in November if the elections help drive down inflation. Tuition is driven in part by spending issues, bring down spending and tuition should track downward or at least stop increases.

Briefly describe your philosophy on education.

Higher education is a privilege not a right in our society. Students need an environment to learn and develop skills for their life journey.

How will you work to keep tuition affordable?

Refer to number 1.

District 5

The district covers nearly all of El Paso County, including Colorado Springs. 

Voter registration: Democrats: 80,738; Republicans: 138,068; Unaffiliated: 237,059; Total active voters: 466,772

Axel Brown

Party: Democrat 

Website: https://axel4cu.org/

What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?

The biggest problem students face today is the prohibitive cost of college. This cost goes far beyond just tuition, and includes the cost of living, basic needs, and free time for mental health. Food insecurity is at an all time high with students, which is extremely detrimental to their success because without proper nourishment and energy, they will not be able to focus or learn properly. This inability to focus and succeed is also compounded by the fact that many students have to work multiple jobs to survive and are unable to truly dedicate time to their education. In order to address this problem, I plan to implement a plan that tackles these costs across the board. This plan includes a need based tuition structure, more robust basic needs programs on campuses for students, and stronger mental health services across the board.

Briefly describe your philosophy on education.

I believe education should be accessible to anyone who wishes to obtain it. Students, young or old, should not be blocked from learning and improving their station in life simply because they cannot afford it.

How will you work to keep tuition affordable?

I plan to propose a tuition structure that will be based on the financial needs of the student, rather than an across the board blanket cost. CU needs an equitable tuition plan that gives students to achieve the education they deserve without being saddled with life long and often crippling debt.

Ken Montera

Party: Republican

Website: www.monteraforregent.com/

Website: MonteraForRegent.com

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, University of Colorado Boulder   

Bio: Ken Montera spent 30 years at three Fortune 200 companies, including in the C-suite, where he oversaw a $12-billion organization and with responsibility for more than 40,000 associates. He was appointed to fill a vacancy on the regents board in 2021 and was later elected to the seat. Montera lives in Colorado Springs.

What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve?

The No. 1 issue I hear from students and families is the cost of a college education. As vice chair of the finance committee, I oversee all major financial decisions the university makes. Having spent my entire career in large companies, I am uniquely qualified to manage large budgets, establish cost management measures and challenge traditional thinking. I am proud that we have been able to offer a tuition cost guarantee to all freshman students for their four full years at CU Boulder. Their tuition will not increase over that time.

Briefly describe your philosophy on education?

I believe that higher education should be a place where we teach students how to think not what to think. We should foster respectful debate that facilitates a broad view of ideas that have to be supported with fact. Through this process we establish critical thinking skills that will be used well into the future regardless of area of study. Developing intellectual curiosity allows individuals to grow well beyond college.

How will you work to keep tuition affordable?

We are one of the lowest funded higher education states in the country based on the state budget. It is our job to help our legislators understand the impact higher education has on the future of the state, country and world to gain more support. Consistent financial evaluation and individual budget responsibility creates an environment where decision makers are put in a position of greater accountability. Our financial team/CFO’s continually evaluate budget expectations and to improve cost efficiencies.