DENVER — Denver election officials reported a significant eleventh-hour surge in ballots cast in the 2023 municipal election, boosting the projected voter turnout number.
The city was estimating about 175,000 ballots had been cast, which would equate to just over 33% of registered voters and 38% or active voters. The clerk's office more often cites the percentage of active voters because the office believes it's a more accurate reflection of turnout.
By 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, 110,000 votes had been counted.
A couple of hours before polls closed, Denver clerk and recorder Paul Lopez had told Denver7 that election headquarters were running like a "well-oiled machine" but that he was underwhelmed by voter turnout.
“We could do better,” Paul Lopez told Denver7’s Colette Bordelon just before polls closed. “We need to increase our voter participation. “These are the elections that matter [...] These are the frontline representatives in government, it's going to be your city government.”
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Denver saw about 44% of active voters turn out in a 2019 municipal election that, in addition to mayor and city council elections, decided the future of psilocybin mushrooms and a person’s ability to shelter themselves in public. In the 2015 municipal election, Lopez said only 20% of voters went to the polls.
“It can vary. It's not necessarily an apples to apples comparison,” Lopez said Tuesday. “This is the first time that we've had the federal elections fund. This is the most candidates that you've seen in such a long time. So there's a lot of differences.”
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The 2023 mayoral election was more than likely headed to a runoff on June 6, as the top two candidates – Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough – saw some separation from their competitors but were not on track to draw the 50% of votes needed for an outright win.
Before a runoff is declared, the city will canvass the election and certify its results. Eight days after the election, the city will address ballots with any discrepancies. Voters notified of an issue with their ballots will have eight days to fix them, Lopez said.
“It's a process, but it's a process that's designed to make sure that it's fair, that it's transparent, secure and accessible, and definitely a process that matters,” he said.
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