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City Cast Denver

Turned in your ballot? 🎉 Celebrate with these Election Day freebies! Here are all the local places giving out goodies to anyone with an “I Voted” sticker.

👉 Even more Election Day discounts!

2024 Election Day Freebies Around Denver

2024 Election Day Freebies

Find the best of everything that Denver has to offer.

Denver’s Best

Denver's Best

The 2024 election is now in full swing — and it can feel overwhelming. Here’s the when, how, and where to help you navigate the voting process 🇺🇸✅

 of voting centers open AND last day to mail your ballot

Election Day! You must drop-off your ballot or be in line to vote by 7 p.m.

you want to vote — mail-in or in-person — then double check deadlines and 

find your nearest voting center or drop-off location

Haven’t received your ballot yet? Check out a 

If you like friendly reminders, sign up for 

 to the ballot box from RTD on Tuesday Oct. 29 or Tuesday Nov. 5.

Coloradans who meet the 22-day state residency requirement and are at least 18 years old can register to vote all the way through Election Day. (In jail, awaiting sentencing, or a convicted felon? 

If you don't receive your ballot or need a replacement/accessible ballot, you can pick one up at a 

What if I’ll be out of town and need my ballot sent somewhere else?

You can either pick up your ballot in person at a local voter center, or you can have your ballot mailed to a temporary address by calling the County Clerk’s Office at 720-913-8683.

Voters with lost, damaged, or mismarked ballots can get a replacement by visiting a local voting center.

You’ll need a valid form of ID that shows a Colorado address.

Denver election officials will attempt to reach you (by phone, email, or mail) to give you the chance to correct the problem. Voters have until eight days after the election (Nov. 13) to do so.

, including voting if you’re unhoused, types of acceptable identification, and what do to about ballot mistakes.

There’s a trove of local voter guides floating around the internet that will walk you through every line item on the ballot. Here’s how to know which one is right for you!

 (plus related coverage!) on city and statewide measures — all neatly packaged so you can decide where you want to jump in.

Stay tuned for the recording of our sold-out live Ballots & Beverages event last week, where City Cast Denver podcast host Bree Davies was joined by special guests to unpack and explore each of Denver’s upcoming ballot measures.

 in concise one-sentence summaries with links to their more extensive reporting should you feel compelled to learn more.

Similarly, 5280 Magazine keeps it simple and straightforward with easy-to-digest blurbs of 

, including everything from the board of education, RTD, judges, and more. They also offer coverage organized by issue, such as immigration, abortion, or housing.

Denver voters are facing a historically lengthy ballot. On top of all the statewide measures and races to weigh in on, Denverites have 12 (!!) local measures to consider on a variety of issues impacting the city, ranging from collective bargaining rights to fur bans.

So we recently invited Westword founder/editor 

predictions for how Denverites will vote.

To help you vote confidently, I’m sharing those predictions, plus some additional data and background on each measure ✅ 🗳️

Ballot Issue 2Q: Sales Tax Increase for Denver Health

If passed, Denver’s sales tax will increase by 0.34% starting in 2025 to raise an estimated $70 million annually to fund Denver Health, the state’s only “safety net” hospital.

 to the measure. Some notable individuals that have come out in support of the initiative include Mayor Mike Johnston and several 

🔮 Our Predictions For How Denver Will Vote

Ballot Issue 2R: Sales Tax Increase for Affordable Housing

The 2024 election is now in full swing — and it can feel overwhelming. Here’s the when, how, and where to help Denverites navigate the voting process. 


2024 Denver Election Resources and FAQs

2024 Election-Mania! 

What Denverites have been wondering. We break down why things in Denver are the way they are and how they work.

Denver, Explained

The votes are in and the results are coming into focus for the spiciest local and state races we’ve been watching 👀 Here are some of the major match-ups that will advance to the big ballot this November 👇

results for all of the state primary races

 — including Board of Education and State Senate — on the Secretary of State’s website.)

Note: These were the most up-to-date results as of 10 p.m. election night.

Congressional District 4 Special Election


Incumbent Rep. Yadira Caraveo (unopposed)

See the latest numbers 📊

2024 Colorado primary election results are in! 

2024 Colorado Primary Election Results

Who's Headed to the Ballot This November? 

 in this newsletter — they’re often passing bills, hosting events, polling constituents, or proposing big changes to our laws. In short, City Council is a governing body that keeps Denver running. But keeping up with everything they do and deciphering the political jargon can make it easy to feel lost in the weeds and leave you wondering: 

Denver City Council has 13 members. The city is geographically divided into 11 districts, and each district gets a council member to represent it. Then, there are two “at-large” council members who represent the city as a whole. You can find out which district you’re in using this 

City Council is an elected position. (It is full-time and 

.) No formal education is required to run. Here are the requirements:

A resident of Denver for at least two years

A resident of their district for at least one year

Must live in the district they plan to serve

Proposing, passing, and amending local laws

Serving on specific city committees that make decisions on land use, transit, the arts, local business issues, and more

Denver City Council meets regularly on most Monday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. at the Denver City and County Building (1437 Bannock Street). The public is welcome to attend in-person or tune into 

. The public comment period for regular meetings starts at 5 p.m. You can speak in-person or via Zoom, but you must 

Stay up to date on meeting schedules and agenda items by 

 on City Council and Denver’s lawmaking process.

In short, City Council is a governing body that keeps Denver running. But keeping up with everything they do and deciphering the political jargon can make it easy to feel lost in the weeds and leave you wondering: Who is City Council and what exactly do they actually do?

What Does Denver City Council Actually Do?

On Monday, the city swore in its first new mayor since 2011. With Mayor Mike Johnston officially at the helm of a new Denver era, you might find yourself wondering, “What exactly does a mayor 

?” Here are some key points (but you can find more in 

 from our friend and Denverite reporter Kyle Harris):

Where does the mayor stand in the hierarchy of city government?

Pretty darn high. The mayor is the chief executive of the city, which means they’re in charge of all administrative and executive functions. Yes, that includes overseeing the Chief of Police and the Sheriff.

No. While the mayor is in charge of enforcing municipal laws and can make recommendations for new legislation, the business of making new laws is up to the 13-member City Council.

What power does the mayor have over City Council?

The mayor can veto anything that is passed by City Council, but council can override a veto with a minimum of nine out of 13 members’ votes. The mayor works closely with City Council, so veto power is not often used.

Yes — and it’s a looong list of appointments. Aside from the folks that work directly within the mayor’s office, the top dog is responsible for nominating many positions within different city offices. Here are just a handful:

Department of Transportation & Infrastructure

Department of Community Planning & Development

🔎 Learn More About Mayor Mike’s Job

This segment was written by City Cast newsletter editor Adrian González

On Monday, the city swore in its first new mayor since 2011. You might find yourself wondering, “What exactly does a mayor do?” Here are some key points...

What Does Denver's Mayor Actually Do?

What Does a Mayor Actually Do?

The countdown is on, Election Day is a week away, and punches are being 

. Here are the latest developments in Denver’s runoff races:

, Mike Johnston reminded voters that his opponent, Kelly Brough, said she 

 for police officers. In response, Brough’s team clarified she supports qualified immunity 

in cases where an officer violates a person’s constitutional rights.

 An outside spending group supporting Brough aired a 

. Johnston’s team and his backers have called the ad factually inaccurate and “a new low for campaigns.”

 on using taxpayer dollars to fund a new Broncos stadium — he now opposes it. Brough supports it if approved by voters.

According to Brough’s campaign team, state rep. and former mayoral candidate Leslie Herod only gave Johnston her endorsement on the condition that she was 

 in his administration. Herod and Johnston deny the claim.

 hosted by City Cast Denver, we discovered two previously unreported stances from both mayoral candidates: 1) Johnston prefers ranch with his hot wings, while Brough is a bleu cheese fan. 2) Both prefer Chipotle to Illegal Pete’s.

🏙️ Don’t forget about city council: 

There are three city council seats up for grabs — districts 8, 9, and 10. Here’s 

Mayoral Madness: Runoff Races Get Nasty

In 2023, City Cast Denver undertook an ambitious project: Interview EVERY candidate running to be Denver's next mayor.

City Cast Denver's Mayoral Madness

Mayoral Madness

If you’re a Denver voter and your ballot is still sitting on your kitchen table just waiting to be filled out, don’t fret — there’s plenty of time before the official runoff election day on June 6, and we’ve got the resources you need to help cast a confident vote.

Still deciding between Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston?

deep dive into Brough’s career and experience

The City Cast Denver podcast also sat down with the candidate for a second time to hear more about her lived experience and 

equally extensive look at Johnston’s policy promises and previous work

The City Cast Denver Podcast took a second opportunity to ask the mayoral hopeful about his college affiliations and 

On the surface, it can be hard to tell the difference between what the two mayoral candidates bring to the table when it comes to an approach on guns, staffing shortages in public safety jobs, and concerns about rising crime. 

Denverite broke down each candidates’ approach

 to public safety and how they plan to implement their policies.

What’s the city council runoff looking like?

 The Mayor’s race gets a lot of attention, but many districts in Denver are seeing city council runoffs on the ballot, too. Check out this quick guide from Axios to 

everything that’s going on with Denver City Council

 But it’s not too late to register and vote in this election — check out the 

 if you’re registered to vote, request an 

🗳️ More Resources For The Runoff

Mayoral Madness: What You Need to Know for the Runoff

Right about now, political ads are likely blowing up your streaming services, social platforms, airwaves, and mailboxes. It’s important to note: there are no regulations requiring that political advertisements be truthful (case in point: 

). So, how do you know what information is trustworthy? 

Before believing or sharing a political ad, ask yourself:

Are there quotes that might be taken out of context?

The Political Advertising Literacy group put together a 

 so voters can critically examine political ads. (You can also 

with this quiz!)

Still not sure what to believe? You can always ask 

, which will check the factual accuracy of an ad for you.

🔒🗳️ 

 Rumors and conspiracy theories about election fraud and ballot counting are running rampant. CPR put together this 

 on everything you need to know about Colorado’s election security measures and the “ballot chain of custody.”

Know Where Your Ballot Goes

How To Fact-Check Political Ads

Life Hacks

Tips and tricks for living your best Denver life, by locals, for locals.

Denver Life Hacks

This week officially kicked off election season as state ballots began hitting mailboxes, and I can’t be the only one feeling overwhelmed. So here are some tips, tricks, and important dates to take note of that will hopefully make this voting season feel a little more manageable.

🗳️ 

Oct. 17: Ballots are mailed out and ballot drop-off boxes open

Oct. 24: Polling centers begin to open in waves depending on location (

 that your voter registration is up to date with your correct address and name

 you want to vote — mail-in or in-person — and make sure you know your deadlines and 

nearest voting centers or drop-off locations

After you’ve mailed your ballot or dropped it off at a dropbox, you can 

 (if you don’t have yours yet). I enjoyed 

If you’re in the military living overseas, you have until Nov. 16 to cast your vote. You also have a 

If you don’t receive your ballot by mail, you can pick one up from the Denver County Clerk and Recorder’s office at 201 W. Colfax Ave.

 to legibly sign the envelope of your mail ballot or it won’t be counted!

Think you made a mistake? 9News shared some info on 

 on Oct. 28 (National Vote Early Day) and Nov. 8 (Election Day)

elections

2024 Election Day Freebies

2024 Election-Mania!

Who's Headed to the Ballot This November?

Latest articles

2024 Election Day Freebies

2024 Election-Mania!

Who's Headed to the Ballot This November?

What Does Denver City Council Actually Do?

What Does a Mayor Actually Do?

Mayoral Madness: Runoff Races Get Nasty

Mayoral Madness: What You Need to Know for the Runoff

Latest articles

What Does Denver City Council Actually Do?

What Does a Mayor Actually Do?

Mayoral Madness: Runoff Races Get Nasty

Mayoral Madness: What You Need to Know for the Runoff

How To Fact-Check Political Ads

How To Prep For Election Day