As November approaches, Larimer County citizens join the rest of the nation casting their ballots for local, state and national elections. There are two seats representing the greater Fort Collins open in the Colorado House of Representatives.

Voters can find out who represents their district using the Find My Legislator tool using the Colorado General Assembly website. 

House District 52

There are two candidates running to represent House District 52.

Democrat Yara Zokaie, a tax attorney who just finished her first term as a legislator representing Colorado House District 52, is seeking reelection. Her campaign emphasizes a variety of issues including a fair tax code, education funding, climate change and living wage.

“I had always been interested in politics at a federal level,” Zokaie said. “It wasn’t until I was working from the hospital with a baby in the NICU that I realized the power of local politics and how what we do at a state level really has a more tangible impact on people’s day-to-day lives.”

Opposing her is state chairman and candidate for the Colorado Center Party Steve Yurash, who has served on the Larimer County Board of Health and the Fort Collins Electric Board. Yurash previously ran for other elected positions, including Fort Collins City Council in 2025. Yurash’s campaign focuses on providing affordable housing, preserve local control of the land use policy and increasing teacher pay.

Yurash spent years in Palo Alto, California, as a computer chip engineer. He moved to Fort Collins in 2003. Yursah said he felt compelled to create balance to a Democratic-leaning legislature.

“I like Colorado,” Yurash said. “But being a state government that’s controlled by one party is not good, right? And so I want to try to bring some balance to that, be able to talk to both sides, and (I) wouldn’t necessarily drive some big change in legislation, but just try to pay attention to details and make legislation that the Democrats and the Republicans want, just try to make that legislation better.” 

The issue of affordability has been dominating conversations at the local and national level. A poll done in spring 2026 by Axios Denver shows the rising cost of living is one of the top issues for Coloradans.

When asked what issue facing Colorado is most pressing, both Zokaie and Yurash answered affordability.

“There’s real ways for us to lower costs for people,”  Zokaie said. “That involves having a healthy budget, and making sure the wealthy pay their fair share is one big piece of that, going against corporate abuse is a big piece of that, and making sure folks have strong labor unions because another piece of that is that our wages have not kept up with rising prices.”

Yurash said he doesn’t view Zokaie’s policies as the correct solution to the affordability crisis.

“There is an affordability crisis,” Yurash said. “I want to try to help with that. But socialism is not the way, and so that’s why I think it’s very important that there is a candidate running against Yara Zokaie, who is my opponent (and) who is a socialist, and I think that’s very wrong.”

The Northern Colorado Democratic Socialists of America list Zokaie as one of its members on its voting guide; the chapter also endorses her campaign.

House District 53

Democratic incumbent Rep. Andy Boesenecker has served three terms in the Colorado House of Representatives and is seeking reelection for what would be his final term in the chamber. Boesenecker has served as speaker pro tempore since 2024 and sat on various committees. He is facing Republican Daniel Frick, who would be serving his first term in government.

Prior to being elected to Colorado Legislature in 2021, Boesenecker worked as a public school teacher and minister, and he has experience in the nonprofit sector.

Alternatively, Frick has a military background and is a small business owner in Fort Collins. He said he was motivated to run after sharing a personal experience with the criminal justice system with members of his community. 

Boesenecker’s campaign emphasizes preventing gun violence, prioritizing accessible healthcare, promoting economic opportunity and more. Boesenecker said affordability is his top issue; he has worked on this issue during previous legislative sessions, sponsoring legislation such as Colorado HB26-1313.  If reelected, Boesenecker said he plans to continue work to address affordability for Fort Collins residents.

“Cost of living remains one of the top concerns for people across Colorado and Fort Collins is now somehow unique in that regard,” Boesenecker said. “And so for me that looked like working on affordable housing, lowering the cost of healthcare (and) making sure that our transportation system is vibrant and safe for folks.”

As a legislator, Boesenecker said he serves the community first and foremost.

“I don’t run bills that are out-of-state bills,” Boesenecker said. “I run bills that have something to do with or come from interests in our community. … For me, it doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican, a Democrat (or) an independent. If you come to our office with a concern, we’re going to try to figure out a way to assist you and stand by you in whatever you’re going through.

Frick said he is also concerned with the issue of affordability and that he is unsure of Boesenecker’s effectiveness to address the issue.

“My rent was $1,850,” Frick said. “It’s a five-bedroom, two-bathroom house, built in 1960. My rent is now $2,650.While I appreciate all of the bills (Boesenecker) has sponsored, cosponsored and voted ‘yes’ on that would help affordability, nothing has really helped.”

While Frick does not have legislative experience, he said he brings a fresh perspective to Colorado politics.

“This is all very new to me,” Frick said. “I’m coming at it with a different perspective, which I’ve always felt is kind of refreshing because when you get locked into a specific mindset, you get trapped in that box.”

Reach David Martinez at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.