Nine people are running for four positions on the board of directors for the Health District of Northern Larimer County in an election that will be held May 3, 2022.

Three positions are for three-year terms, and one is for a one-year term.

Candidates running for three-year terms are Brian Ferrans, Julie Kunce Field, Johanna Ulloa Girón, Molly Gutilla, Nicole "Coco" Peterson, and Joseph Prows. Girón, Gutilla, and Prows are incumbents.

Candidates running for the one-year term are Erin Hottenstein, Mark Longshore, and Ann K. Yanagi.

[Note: Mark Longshore withdrew from the race, but after the ballots were printed, so his name will still appear on ballots.]

The Health District is governed by a five-person board of directors elected at large by eligible electors in the district. District boundaries encompass the northern two-thirds of Larimer County and include Fort Collins, Timnath, Laporte, Livermore, Red Feather Lakes, and Wellington.

To be eligible to vote in this election, a person must be a U.S. citizen aged 18 years or older who is registered to vote in Colorado and is also a resident of the district. Non-district residents may vote if they own (or their spouse or civil union partner owns) property within the Health District.

Voting on May 3 will take place at two polling locations in Fort Collins: the Health District main office, 120 Bristlecone Drive; and Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, 4501 S. Lemay Ave. (corner of Lemay and Harmony). Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

People also may vote by mail. The only way to vote by mail in this election is by using an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots will automatically be sent to people who have voted in previous Health District board elections and requested to be on a permanent absentee ballot list. All other eligible voters wishing to vote in this election must request an absentee ballot for this election in advance. The application for absentee ballot can be downloaded at healthdistrict.org/2022-board-election, or people can request it be sent to them by mail by calling 970-224-5209 or by emailing kfagan@healthdistrict.org. The application also will be printed in the issue of the Compass newsletter mailed to Health District households in early April.

Applications for an absentee ballot must be completed and returned to the Health District by Tuesday, April 26. Applications can be returned by mail or in-person to Chris Sheafor at Health District, 120 Bristlecone Dr., Fort Collins, CO 80524; by fax at (970) 221-7165; or by email (as a scanned attachment or photo of the completed application) at kfagan@healthdistrict.org.

Completed ballots must be received at the Health District by 7 p.m. on the day of the election in order to be counted.

The Health District is a special district that provides residents of northern Larimer County with dental, mental health, preventive health, and advance care planning services, in addition to connecting people to more affordable health insurance and prescription options.

More information on the Health District board of directors election is available at healthdistrict.org/2022-board-election or by calling 970-224-5209