Thanks to Bomb Cyclone, Candidates Get Extra Time to Turn in Ballot Signatures

As Denver hunkers down for what sounds like a snowstorm from hell, municipal-election candidates who still need to collect signatures on their petitions could be lacing up their snow boots in order to do some good ol’ fashioned door-to-door campaigning.

Thanks to the so-called bomb cyclone, all City and County of Denver offices are closed today, March 13, including the Denver Elections Division. And since this was the deadline for candidates and petitioners to turn in their requisite signatures to get on the ballot, the office has extended the submission deadline to noon Thursday, March 14; the office will conduct its draw for ballot placement tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. All ballot content must be certified by Friday, March 15, in order to give military and overseas voters enough time to receive and return their ballots.

So, what’s already on the May 7 ballot? The Right to Survive initiative, which would essentially overturn Denver’s urban camping ban and allow people (i.e., the homeless) to sleep in public, and the psilocybin initiative, which would decriminalize mushrooms. The Let Denver Vote initiative has qualified for the June ballot, in the event of a citywide run-off (otherwise, it moves to November); it would allow voters to weigh in on whether Denver could ever host the Olympics.

The majority of candidates running for the various Denver City Council seats up for grabs have already petitioned their way onto the ballot, as have some notable mayoral candidates, including Jamie Giellis, Lisa Calderón and Kalyn Heffernan.

Where does this leave you, the Denver voter? Make sure you’re registered, and start studying the issues. Look for your ballot in the mail, if you choose to perform your civic duty that way, the week of April 15, then make sure you send it back long before May 7. You can also deliver your ballot or vote in person starting April 29.

And if you see any petitioners out in the snow today, be kind.