On Thursday evening, at the first meeting of a newly elected Boulder City Council, Councilmember Nicole Speer was chosen as the city’s next mayor pro tem.

The mayor pro tem takes on the mayor’s duties and leads meetings when the mayor is absent. In Boulder, the mayor and mayor pro tem have the same legislative powers as any other council member, but they act as leaders and ambassadors of the community.

Speer’s election as mayor pro tem came after a public hearing in which several community members gave heartfelt endorsements of her leadership abilities and championing of progressive causes.

When Speer first campaigned for office, “she saw her most important work as making space for people who have long been excluded from power,” said Claudia Hanson Thiem. “She wanted to make the word work of representation and governance accessible, safe and sustainable for others. And that I believe is an approach worth elevating.”

While the mayor pro tem role is mainly symbolic, the choice of leadership in Boulder “sends a strong signal about our commitment to action and which voices matter,” Thiem said, adding that Speer has brought “new voices” into local government decision-making.

Another speaker, William McGrew, described Speer as a “highly qualified and dedicated individual” with “an unwavering commitment to keeping our city on the right track and advocating for our most vulnerable members.”Boulder’s mayor pro tem is chosen by fellow council members. Although Councilmember Tara Winer had previously expressed interest in the mayor pro tem role, she withdrew her nomination Thursday night, saying she realized she did not have the votes to win, although she praised the “overwhelming support” in the community that helped her draw the most votes of any council candidate this year.

“I believe this (mayor pro tem) vote is not supposed to be a showing of strength of political size or a political power, but a sign of working together,” Winer said. “I know some people might feel let down that I’m withdrawing my nomination. … (But) I look forward to this new council working together and doing some great things for the city of Boulder.”

Because Winer withdrew her nomination and no one else aside from Speer was nominated, Speer won the mayor pro tem election by acclamation.

“I think one of the things that this election showed for me is that we are not quite so much ‘one side versus another’ as I think that we are sometimes made out to be. I hope that moving forward, we can really show how we can disagree and still come back and work together,” Speer said after her win. “I’m really looking forward to working with the council, I think we’ve got a wonderful group here, and I look forward to supporting Mayor (Aaron) Brockett.”

In the past, Boulder’s mayor was elected in the same way as the mayor pro tem, but this year was the first year voters directly elected the mayor through ranked choice voting. Speer ran for mayor this fall but lost to incumbent Brockett.

Earlier Thursday evening, Boulder’s newly elected city council members and mayor were sworn in. Brockett was the first to take his oath of office alongside his family members. Thursday evening’s meeting marked the start of Brockett’s third term in office.

After Brockett took his seat, Councilmembers Taishya Adams, Ryan Schuchard, Tina Marquis and Winer were sworn in all at once. Adams, Schuchard and Marquis are beginning their first terms, while Winer is beginning her second term.

Outgoing Councilmembers Rachel Friend, Junie Joseph and Bob Yates were present for the beginning of the meeting. After the new councilmembers were sworn in, the three rose from their seats, embraced their colleagues and congratulated the newcomers as they left the dais.