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Goodbye, summer. Election season is back in full swing in the Mile High City.
Clerk and Recorder Paul López certified the ballot for Denver’s 2025 election on Friday, September 5, solidifying the initiatives voters will see on Election Day, November 4.
The ballot will feature eight municipal measures, five of which are part of Mayor Mike Johnston’s Vibrant Denver bond package. The five measures total $950 million to fund city infrastructure projects via general obligation bonds, meaning the money is repaid through property tax revenues that cannot be transfered to the general budget.
Races for four Denver Public Schools director seats will also appear on the ballot. Twelve candidates are running: Mariana del Hierro and Xochitl Gaytán for district two; Caron Blanke, Donald “DJ” Torres and Scott Esserman for district three; Michelle Quattlebaum, Jeremy Harris, Monica Hunter and Timiya Jackson for district four; and Alex Magaña, Amy Klein Molk and Deborah Sims Fard for at-large.
Ballots will begin being mailed to registered voters on October 10, according to the clerk and recorder. Residents can check and update their voter registration at denvervotes.org.
If passed in November, here is what each of Denver’s municipal ballot measures would do:
Referendum 310: Whether to retain prohibition on the sale of flavored tobacco products
Repeal the ban on selling flavored tobacco products within Denver, such as vapes, e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes and flavored nicotine pouches, like Zyn. The ban was passed by the City Council last December but has not yet taken full effect, with the official enforcement date scheduled for January 1, 2026.
Ballot Issue 2A: Transportation and mobility infrastructure and facilities bond
Approve $441,420,000 in general obligation bonds to fund transportation and mobility infrastructure projects, improving streets, bridges and traffic safety. Specific projects include multimodal and safety enhancements for the Santa Fe Arts District, West 38th Avenue, Evans Avenue, the West 38th and Blake underpass, and the 49th and Marion underpass.
Ballot Issue 2B: City parks and recreational infrastructure and facilities bond
Approve $174,750,000 in general obligation bonds to fund parks and recreational infrastructure projects, expanding and upgrading city parks, playgrounds and pools. Specific projects include making the Park Hill open space into a park, improving the environmental health of Sloan’s Lake, creating a new Emporia neighborhood park, and creating a Southeast recreation center and skate park.
Ballot Issue 2C: Health and human services infrastructure and facilities bond
Approve $30,100,000 in general obligation bonds to fund repairs and improvements to health and human services infrastructure. Specific projects include building a new Denver Health family health center and expanding the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center.
Ballot Issue 2D: City infrastructure and facilities bond
Approve $244,430,000 in general obligation bonds to fund repairs and improvements to city facilities like libraries and art, cultural and community centers. Specific projects include renovating the Denver Animal Shelter, building a new first responder training center, and improving the Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Zoo and Red Rocks Amphitheater.
Ballot Issue 2E: Housing and shelter infrastructure and facilities bond
Approve $59,300,000 in general obligation bonds to fund repairs and improvements to housing and shelter facilities. Specific projects include building affordable housing, making shelters accessible to people with disabilities, and locating affordable housing near city facilities, like libraries.
Referred Question 2F: Renaming the Department of Excise and Licensing
Rename the Department of Excise and Licenses to the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, as part of the city’s effort to modernize and make it easier to understand government agency services.
Referred Question 2G: Changing the method of electing at-large Denver councilmembers
Change the manner in which at-large members of the Denver City Council are elected, splitting at-large elections into two separate races: at-large A and at-large B. The winner of each race would earn a seat on council. Right now, all at-large candidates run in one pool and the top two candidates win the seats, regardless of whether the candidates obtain the majority of the vote.
