Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Denver City Council Election 2026

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council seats up

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10 candidates

Updated Oct 2, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council At-Large Seat B · 1 seat

Jake BrowneMarketer, writer and event producer who was formerly the cannabis critic for The Denver Post. He has no formal experience working in government.7sourced
Cynthia DiazOwner of Tonantzin Casa de Café on Santa Fe Drive. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in economics from the University of Colorado Denver.5sourced
Raymon Anthony DoaneFormer budget director for the House Minority Office of the Colorado House of Representatives. He has also worked as a tax examiner and business analyst at the Colorado Department of Revenue.4sourced
Gabriel KonkleContract software engineer who previously worked on backend technology for Littlejohn Produce, a nonprofit giving food to people in need. He is involved in neighborhood mutual aid work.6sourced
Monica MartinezExecutive director of the Fax Partnership, a development nonprofit on East Colfax Avenue, since 2015. She came to Denver in 2003 to work on Mayor John Hickenlooper's policy team.5sourced
Melissa MejíaHousing policy advocate who was Director of State and Local Policy at the Community Economic Defense Project and earlier a council aide in District 3. She served on Denver's Planning Board.5sourced
Alfredo ReyesFormer executive director of the Latino Cultural Arts Center. He has served on the Denver Citizen Oversight Board and the Commission on Cultural Affairs.5sourced
Julissa SotoFounder of Julissa Soto Latino Health Equity Consulting and of the Immigrant Health Access Collaborative. She was a member of the state's Health Equity Commission.4sourced
Whitney TraylorFounder of Traylor Law Group and a trial attorney and mediator. He has taught constitutional law at Metropolitan State University and was 9News' legal analyst.6sourced
Jeff WalkerLand-use planner who served on the Regional Transportation District board from 2011 to 2021 and on the Denver Planning Board from 2004 to 2010.7sourced

Only the vacant At-Large Seat B is on this ballot. Every Denver voter picks one candidate, and whoever gets the most votes wins, with no runoff. The other 12 members are not up.

4 notes on these statements

Ten candidates qualified for the At-Large Seat B ballot; the Clerk & Recorder found petitions from three others insufficient, and one withdrew. Denver Elections Division

Julissa Soto and Raymon Anthony Doane did not participate in Denverite's voter guide interviews. Denverite · Sep 25, 2026

The winner serves only a few months before the seat's regular election in April 2027. Denverite · Sep 25, 2026

Denver voters also decide Referred Question 2I on two-year budgets on the same ballot. Denverite · Sep 25, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesLicense-plate cameras and surveillance, City budget and the STAR program, Middle housing (Unlocking Housing Choices)Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Ballots mailed to all active registered voters; 24-hour drop boxes open

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

License-plate cameras and surveillance

Where it standsThe council approved a one-year Axon license-plate camera contract 7-6 in March 2026; it ends March 31, 2027, and no surveillance ordinance has passed.

What's on the tableThe next council decides whether to renew the camera contract and whether to pass a law regulating surveillance technology.

On March 31, 2026, the council approved a $150,000 Axon contract for 50 license-plate cameras, ending March 31, 2027, by a 7-6 vote. Denver City Council minutes, March 31, 2026 (Council Resolution 26-0246, Axon license-plate cameras) · Mar 31, 2026
In May 2025, the council voted 0-12 against extending the Flock license-plate camera contract. Denver City Council minutes, May 5, 2025 (Council Resolution 25-0413, Flock license-plate cameras) · May 5, 2025
The city's surveillance task force is working on legislation to regulate the technology. Denverite · Mar 31, 2026
Denver police say they will phase out ShotSpotter gunshot detection as the contract ends in December 2026. CBS Colorado

City budget and the STAR program

Where it standsMayor Johnston proposed a $1.68 billion general fund budget for 2027, after 2025 layoffs; voters decide Referred Question 2I on two-year budgets.

What's on the tableThe council reviews and amends the mayor's budgets and approves contracts, including for the STAR mental-health response program.

Johnston's proposed 2027 general fund budget is $1.68 billion, and the council must pass a budget by Nov. 9. The Denver Post · Sep 10, 2026
The council split 6-6 on the mayor's 2026 budget; in Denver's strong-mayor system the council could not stop it. Denverite · Nov 10, 2025
Referred Question 2I would let the city write budgets every two years, while the council still approves spending each year. Denverite · Sep 25, 2026
STAR sends behavioral health clinicians to mental-health and substance-use emergencies. Denverite · Sep 25, 2026
The STAR program is currently closed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Denverite · Sep 25, 2026

Middle housing (Unlocking Housing Choices)

Where it standsThe city's Unlocking Housing Choices project could change the zoning code to allow more duplexes, triplexes and similar homes; it has not reached a council vote.

What's on the tableThe council must approve any change to the zoning code.

Unlocking Housing Choices could change the Denver Zoning Code to allow more 'middle housing' between single-family homes and large apartment complexes. Denverite · Jul 31, 2026
City data found that 10% of Denver's housing stock has two to nine units on a lot, while 42% are detached single-unit homes. Denverite · Jul 31, 2026
Denver City Council would have to approve any recommended changes to the zoning code. Denverite · Jul 31, 2026

Data centers

Where it standsThe council passed a one-year moratorium on new data center applications 13-0 in May 2026; it is set to expire in May 2027.

What's on the tableThe council decides whether to extend the pause, adopt new data center rules, or ban some data centers.

On May 18, 2026, the council voted 13-0 for a moratorium on permit and site plan applications where a data center is the primary use. Denver City Council minutes, May 18, 2026 (Council Bill 26-0431, data center moratorium) · May 18, 2026
The moratorium is set to expire in May 2027, and the council can extend or shorten it. Denverite · May 18, 2026
A working group of officials, experts, utilities, developers and residents will draft data center policy recommendations. Denverite · May 18, 2026

Airport contracts and immigration enforcement

Where it standsIn December 2025 the council rejected a Key Lime Air ground lease at Denver International Airport 1-11; Key Lime operates deportation flights for ICE.

What's on the tableThe council approves airport contracts, including any future agreements with Key Lime Air.

The council rejected a ground-space lease for Key Lime Air at Denver International Airport, with Kevin Flynn the only yes vote. Denver City Council minutes, Dec. 15, 2025 (Council Resolution 25-1938, Key Lime Air ground lease) · Dec 15, 2025
Key Lime Air operates deportation flights for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Denverite · Dec 15, 2025
Council members said rejecting the lease would not stop Key Lime's flights at the airport. Denverite · Dec 15, 2025

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. The city's one-year Axon license-plate camera contract ends March 31, 2027. Should the council approve license-plate camera contracts?
2. STAR sends behavioral health clinicians instead of police to some emergency calls. What should the city do with it?
3. Unlocking Housing Choices could allow duplexes, triplexes and similar homes on more lots now zoned for single homes. What should the council do?
4. Denver's one-year pause on new data centers ends in May 2027. What should come next?
5. Key Lime Air, which operates deportation flights for ICE, has sought lease agreements at Denver International Airport. What should the council do?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Ballots mailed to all active registered voters; 24-hour drop boxes openDenver Elections DivisionOct 5, 2026
Main Voter Service and Polling Center (Central Library) opensDenver Elections DivisionOct 12, 2026
Phase 1 Voter Service and Polling Centers openDenver Elections DivisionOct 19, 2026
Last day to mail your ballot back and ensure it arrives on timeDenver Elections DivisionOct 26, 2026
Election Day: ballots must be received by 7 p.m.Denver Elections DivisionNov 3, 2026
Election certification; councilmember-elect sworn inDenver Elections DivisionNov 24, 2026

The seat math

12 stay (not up this year): Flor Alvidrez, Diana Romero Campbell, Kevin Flynn, Stacie Gilmore, Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Chris Hinds, Paul Kashmann, Shontel Lewis, Amanda Sandoval, Amanda Sawyer, Jamie Torres, Darrell Watson1 on this ballot

13 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 7-vote majority.

Denver City Council has 13 members: 11 represent districts and two at-large members represent the entire city. The Denver Post · Aug 28, 2026
On August 5, 2026, the council declared a vacancy in At-Large Seat B after Councilmember Sarah Parady's resignation; a special election is held with the Nov. 3 General Election. Denver Elections Division
The candidate with the most votes wins, with no runoff, takes office immediately and serves the rest of the term. Denver Elections Division
In 2025, voters adopted a charter amendment that designated the two at-large offices as Seat A and Seat B. Denver Elections Division
In Denver, a municipal election is held every fourth April; the next one is in 2027. Denver Elections Division
Both at-large seats are up for election in April 2027. Denverite · Sep 25, 2026
Denver is a 'strong mayor' city: the council votes on the budget but has no power to stop the mayor's budget. Denverite · Nov 10, 2025

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