Featured photo: Bob Braudes, left, Amy Becker, center, and Ben Hemphill attend an information seminar on oil and gas development Sept. 23, 2026, in Erie, Colorado.
Bob Braudes, Ben Hemphill and Amy Becker appear headed for victory in Erie’s Town Council election, according to unofficial election results. The three candidates, who supported one another throughout the campaign, led their respective races in Districts 1, 2 and 3.
The candidates expressed excitement Wednesday about the chance to serve on a council facing ongoing debates over growth, oil and gas development and public trust.
“I think we were all rooting for each other just as much as we were for our own election,” Becker said. “It’s just good all around and I’m ready to make some good changes.”
According to unofficial election results from Boulder and Weld counties, Bob Braudes led the District 1 race with 2,865 votes, or 57.1%, compared with Andrew Sawusch’s 2,153 votes, or 42.9%.
In District 2, Ben Hemphill led with 2,864 votes, or 54.8%, followed by Delaney Dreckman with 1,968 votes, or 37.6%, and Dipak Basnet with 398 votes, or 7.6%.
Amy Becker held the largest percentage lead of the three apparent winners, receiving 2,193 votes, or 64%, in District 3. Incumbent Brian O’Connor received 1,234 votes, or 36%.
Dreckman and O’Connor did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. Sawusch declined to comment on the results.
“I think it’s premature to give a statement considering there’s still 50,000 ballots still outstanding in Boulder County,” Sawusch said.
However, Sawusch’s estimate refers to Boulder County as a whole, not just Erie, and could not be independently verified. According to Boulder County Elections, 9,010 ballots have been returned by Erie’s 12,594 active registered voters on the Boulder County side, a 71.54% return rate. Meanwhile, unofficial election results show 5,893 votes reported across Erie’s District 1 and District 2 council races. The number of ballots still awaiting counting is unclear.
Because Erie sits in both Boulder and Weld counties, votes are counted and reported separately before being combined. The results will remain unofficial until an audit and approval by the Canvass Board in late November.
The election fills three of the town’s six council seats. Braudes is poised to replace John Mortellaro in District 1, while Hemphill would take the District 2 seat held by Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell, whose council term was set to expire before Mayor Andrew Moore’s resignation which moved him into the mayor’s role. Bell is set to become mayor Nov. 10. Becker’s apparent victory over O’Connor in District 3 would mark the defeat of a sitting council member.
Hemphill thanked the voters who supported him, along with the volunteers who helped during the campaign.
“I’m just excited and honored that the people in District 2 voted me in,” Hemphill said Wednesday, adding that he looks forward to representing the district.
The results come after months of debate over how Erie should grow and how much say residents should have in major town decisions.
At an October candidate forum covered by Yellow Scene, candidates disagreed over housing, water costs, new development and the town’s handling of oil and gas operations.
Bob Braudes, left, Amy Becker, center, and Ben Hemphill attend an information seminar on oil and gas development Sept. 23, 2026, in Erie, Colorado.
One of the biggest disputes involved a mineral-rights agreement between Erie and SM Energy. The deal would have allowed the company to develop town-owned mineral rights, raising concerns among residents about drilling near neighborhoods and the town’s decision-making process.
The council’s handling of the agreement drew strong public opposition. After a divided council reconsidered the deal in June, SM Energy canceled the agreement in August.
The issue also exposed differences among council candidates. Braudes opposed the agreement, while Hemphill called for stronger protections around oil and gas development. O’Connor, whom Becker challenged in District 3, had supported reconsidering the agreement.
Although the canceled deal is no longer before the council, questions about drilling, growth and public input remain. The incoming members could help shape how Erie handles similar decisions in the future.
Braudes said Wednesday that he hopes to bring residents together after a divisive period.
“I’m looking forward to trying to bridge some of the gaps that we have in Erie,” he said.
He also pointed to sidewalks, trails and noise from the Erie Municipal Airport as concerns he heard from residents during the campaign. Braudes said he still has more to learn about what the town can do to address airport noise.
That transition, along with three incoming council members, could give the town a different approach to issues that have divided residents and elected officials.
The newly elected council members are scheduled to take office in January, after the results are certified.
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