Stacie Gilmore held a lead over the other four candidates district that includes Green Valley Ranch, Montbello and Denver International Airport, but not enough to avoid a runoff.
With most ballots counted, , Gilmore, co-founder of Environmental Learning for Kids in Montbello, led with 38 percent of the vote. Sean Bradley, a small-business owner, had 24 percent. Shelli Brown, a manager for Steps to Success, a youth violence prevention program, had 22 percent.
Tea Schook, who manages land concessions at the airport, had 9 percent, and Tim Camarillo, who works for the Colorado Center for Community Development, had 8 percent.
A candidate needs more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff.
The district now is represented by Councilman Chris Herndon, who was moved into District 8 when boundaries were redrawn.
Residents say they hope that more focused council representation will also mean more attention to the district, along with more resources.
New jobs and access to training have been issues raised by candidates.
