For the first time in 12 years, there will be competition for Black Hawk aldermen seats this spring.
Cherokee Blake, who recently retired after 28 years as the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office administrative manager and Public Information Officer, entered the race for one of the Black Hawk alderman’s terms this month.
The political newcomer will compete for one of three four-year council seats up for election. Voters will select the winners during the city’s biennial municipal election on Tuesday, April 7.
Blake will face incumbents Jim Johnson, Hal Midcap, and Lorraine (Rene) Wiley, who have also filed for the three seats. Johnson has served on council since first being elected in April 2010. Midcap served as an alderman from July 1995 to April 2000. He was elected again in April 2014 and has remained on council for the past 12 years. Wiley was appointed earlier this month to fill the late Linda Armbright’s term following the councilwoman’s death in November.
Cindy Linker, the former Black Hawk Community Development and Planning Director who was appointed to fill the late Greg Moates’ seat, is the only candidate who filed to seek an available two-year council term this spring. Moates’ term wasn’t scheduled to end until 2028. However, he passed unexpectedly in late October – creating a vacancy for the remaining two years.
Currently, 73 residents are listed as ‘active’ Black Hawk voters because they voted in the prior two elections. Except for absentee ballots, registered Black Hawk residents who plan to vote in the biennial election can do so by visiting the City Annex, 211 Church St. (next to the Black Hawk Police Department), between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on April 7.
During recent biennial elections, there haven’t been an abundance of candidates in the small city of about 100 residents. Typically, aldermen whose terms are expiring file to seek re-election, though they are rarely challenged. As a result, the city council has voted to cancel the planned elections – to save money and paperwork – and declared the candidates re-elected in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024.
The last time there were contested races in Black Hawk was in 2014. At the time, Armbright, Johnson, Midcap and Leon Pohl sought the three available four-year terms. Johnson, Midcap and Armbright were elected.