NEDERLAND — After an incredibly close Mayoral race resulting in a one-vote victory for third-term hopeful Billy Giblin, a required eight-day waiting period for ballots mailed in from overseas to arrive and be counted, another one-vote victory—but this time for first-term seeking Nichole Sterling—and a state-mandated recount, Sterling is Nederland’s new Mayor, winning 261 to 258. 

The results of the recount were posted on the front window of the Town of Nederland before the end of the day on Monday, April 20, 2026, showcasing the new winner of the long and unprecedented electoral process. 

The original counts were released the day after Election Day, April 8, showing Giblin up by one vote, 258 to 257; the results were deemed unofficial as a signature verification process was still underway, and 31 ballots had yet to be received from overseas voters.

According to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Town had until 5 p.m. on April 15 to receive those 31 ballots and add them to the unofficial results. Those results were posted the following day, indicating a difference of only six new ballots added to the tally, bringing Sterling one vote ahead of Giblin, 261 to 260. 

It was immediately stated that the narrow margin of votes would result in a mandatory recount, to be completed by April 20. However, in the time before the recount, rumors began to stir among the public regarding suspected “voter fraud” in relation to individuals who moved out of jurisdiction receiving and sending in ballots, and children under voting age also receiving ballots from the County. 

The Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s Office released a statement on April 17, addressing what it called an “administrative error” that caused 24 ineligible voters to receive ballots. 

“Citizens are eligible to preregister at 15 years of age, which is how these individuals were available to be included,” the statement reads. “Municipal election judges cannot access data from preregistrants and therefore cannot complete the signature verification process. Because of this safeguard, ballots returned by these individuals cannot be processed.”

Signature verification for mail-in ballots has been a requirement for Colorado’s municipal elections since HB16-1070 was passed in 2016 as an additional act under the Colorado Municipal Election Code of 1965. 

The act “requires election judges to compare a municipal elector's signature on a mail ballot return envelope self-affirmation with one of the elector's digitized signatures stored in the statewide voter registration system,” and authorizes the use of special devices to compare those signatures. 

Regardless of the local “controversy,” Mayor Sterling was officially sworn in during a meeting of the Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) on Tuesday, April 21. 

“I’m thrilled,” Sterling told The Mountain-Ear. “I’m just excited to continue to serve the community, now in a different capacity, where I think I can bring more of a voice and a process.” Sterling remarked that she looks forward to completing in her Mayoral term many of the major tasks that were started during her terms as Trustee.

Giblin spoke with The Mountain-Ear about the Mayoral race prior to Tuesday’s BOT meeting, as the additional two weeks waiting for official results left him analyzing the steps of the campaign which led to the almost-even split of the Nederland electorate. 

“I vacillate with it, sometimes anxious and analytical about what I could’ve done differently,” Giblin admitted, addressing what was viewed as his most scrutinized statement during his campaign, when he stated that he would be voted off the Board if Sterling was elected Mayor. 

The statement was not incorrect, though concern built due to the unspoken part of the statement—the fact that, if he were to lose the election, he could still serve by applying for a vacant seat on the Board.  

“I was pretty focused on winning, and to focus on what I would do if I’d lose seemed like a premature thing to put my attention on,” Giblin explained, “and frankly I wasn’t sure if I’d apply.”  

Time will tell whether Giblin will apply for one of the two available seats, as the mirror side to his anxiousness about the election brings him to an alluring place.  

“Other times I’m more zen and accepting, and sometimes I’m able to just not think about it, which is nice too.”

Town proclamations

 Giblin was attending his son’s track meet in Boulder during the BOT meeting and unfortunately missed a proclamation made by Town Manager Jonathan Cain and the Board honoring Giblin’s service as Mayor, as well as a Commissioner.

“Mayor Giblin advanced major community initiatives, including the development and adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, the Downtown Subarea Plan, and the Multimodal Plan; and has contributed to the Eldora Mountain Resort acquisition and the advancement of the Big Springs egress project,” the proclamation states.

“His leadership has emphasized the importance of community voice, local knowledge, and shared responsibility, recognizing that the strength of Nederland comes from the people in the community.” 

Trustees Tania Corvalan and Tierney Maris also received proclamations honoring their service to the Town, as both of their terms came to an end in April.

Maris was hailed for her commitment to community engagement and for serving as liaison to the Nederland Eco Pass Public Improvement District Advisory Committee.

Corvalan was praised for her dedication to the environment and to the success of Nederland’s small businesses, and for her commitment to the Nederland Downtown Development Authority and Board of Zoning Adjustment. 

Newly elected Trustees Andrew Joslin, who received a total of 384 votes, and Matthew Kennedy, who received 319 votes, were also sworn in before the start of the meeting, ensuring that the Board could meet quorum and proceed with their agenda of action items. 

As Sterling took the helm and led the meeting, one of her first orders of business was to nominate and vote for her Mayor Pro Tem, the position which she held for several years. Sterling recommended Trustee Luke Miller for the position; Resolution 2026-11, officially installing Miller as Mayor Pro Tem, was seconded and approved unanimously. 

There are still two Trustee positions open on the Board. The BOT voted Tuesday to hold an appointment process, which will be open for 21 days, starting Wednesday, April 22.