Published October 21, 2026 at 10:02 AM MDT

Six candidates running to become Boulder’s next mayor faced tough questions about housing, city spending, homelessness, public safety and their qualifications for office during a debate hosted by Boulder Reporting Lab and KGNU on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The roughly 90-minute debate, held at KGNU’s Community Media & Cultural Center in downtown Boulder, gave candidates a chance to make their case to voters, challenge one another’s positions and explain how they would lead the city over the next two years.

Participating were incumbent Mayor Aaron Brockett, City Councilmember Taishya Adams, Aquiles La Grave, Jameson “Jamo” Goldstein and Lisa Jacobs. A sixth candidate, Fred Smith, did not participate.

The questions drew in part from a BRL reader survey about the 2026 election, which identified city governance, taxes and spending, homelessness, housing affordability, public safety and other issues as top concerns.

Unlike a traditional candidate forum, the debate gave candidates opportunities to respond directly to one another, defend their positions and address disagreements.

Marty Lenz spoke with Boulder Reporting Lab's John Herrick who co-moderated the debate.

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