🗳️ Election results are in

Here’s where things stand (as of 11 p.m. on election night) for the Denver and statewide ballots. You can find the latest numbers on Denver’s election results page and the Secretary of State’s website.

Denver Ballot

The Vibrant Denver Bond

• ✅ Passed: Ballot Issue 2A: $441 million approved for transportation and mobility projects
  
• ✅ Passed: Ballot Issue 2B: $175 million approved for parks and rec projects
  
• ✅ Passed: Ballot Issue 2C: $30 million approved for health and human services projects
  
• ✅ Passed: Ballot Issue 2D: $244 million approved for city services and facilities upgrades
  
• ✅ Passed: Ballot Issue 2E: $60 million approved for housing and shelter projects

✅ Passed: Referred Question 2F (Renaming the Dept. of Excise and License)

The department will formally be renamed to the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.

✅ Passed: Referred Question 2G (City Council At-Large Elections)

Elections for City Council’s two at-large seats will now require a majority vote in two separate elections, rather than going with the top two candidates in a combined race.

✅ Passed: Referendum 310 (Flavored Tobacco Ban)

The ban on flavored tobacco products passed by City Council last year will remain in place.

State Ballot Issues

✅ Passed: Proposition LL (Healthy School Meals for All)

Colorado will keep $12 million in excess tax revenue (and interest) generated by the 2022 voter-approved state tax deduction to continue funding the Healthy School Meals for All program.

✅ Passed: Proposition MM (Free School Meals and Food Assistance)

State taxes will be increased by $95 million annually to support access to healthy food for Colorado kids and families.

DPS School Board Races

Unofficial results show two incumbent school board members losing their bids for reelection as union-backed candidates took the lead for all four open seats, maintaining a six-year hold on majority control. Denver Classroom Teachers Association President Rob Gould called it a “people over money” victory.

Director At-Large: Amy Klein Molk (55%)

Director District 2: (incumbent) Xochitl “Sochi” Gaytán (56%)

Director District 3: Donald "DJ" Torres (43%)

Director District 4: Monica Hunter (41%)

See full results for the DPS school board here.

🎧🎙️ Get more: We’re parsing through the data and breaking down the early results for these issues, plus other hot races across the metro on today’s episode of City Cast Denver. Tune in now.

💰 Council Votes to Restore Clerk and Recorder, Auditor Budgets

Denver City Council approved 10 amendments to Mayor Mike Johnston’s 2026 budget draft, adding a total of about $8 million. Council unanimously agreed to restore some funding to the City Auditor and Clerk and Recorder’s Office. Other changes that were passed included reallocating some of the proposed police budget. The mayor has until Nov. 7 to accept or veto the amendments. [Denverite]

🚫 History Colorado Accused of Censoring Pro-Palestine Painting

Multiple civil rights advocacy groups are accusing the History Colorado Center of censorship after it removed a painting from its exhibition that featured pro-Palestine elements. The groups are calling on the museum to issue an apology, an explanation, and reinstatement of the artwork. [Denverite]

• History Colorado’s response: The museum says it removed the painting by local artist Madalyn Drewno because the finished product was “significantly different” than what she originally proposed and that the museum doesn’t “platform opinions that could be perceived as campaigning.”

🏙️ Post-Pandemic Downtown Foot Traffic Higher Than Ever

In September, downtown Denver saw foot traffic levels at 93% of what they were before the pandemic — the highest they’ve been since the Downtown Denver Partnership began tracking recovery rates. The DDP attributes the increase to tourists and residents attracted by the newly reopened 16th Street and “the perception of safety.” [Denver Gazette 🔒]