This event was recorded on October 23, 2026 at Grassroots Studio in partnership with the Aspen Daily News, the Aspen Times and Aspen Public Radio.
Listen to complete audio from the 2026 Pitkin County BOCC Candidate Forum recorded live at Grassroots Studio on Friday, October 23. Co-hosted by Grassroots TV, the Aspen Daily News and the Aspen Times. The annual "Squirm Night" provided Pitkin County voters an opportunity to hear directly from candidates seeking seats on the Board of County Commissioners ahead of the November election.
During the candidate forum, participants addressed critical local issues, including affordable housing, airport modernization, climate action, land management, and regional transportation across Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork Valley. Candidates presented opening statements, answered questions submitted by community members and journalists, and outlined their strategic visions for serving local constituents.
Participating candidates, listed in alphabetical order by last name, included:
Pitkin County Commissioner District 1: John Doyle and Rob Ittner
Pitkin County Commissioner District 2: Emily Kolbe and Ted Mahon (incumbent).
Audio of the event is archived above for on-demand listening to help community members make informed decisions at the ballot box.