As of Friday afternoon, only one person had requested that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper honor his pledge to pay Election Day parking tickets, according to the mayor’s office.
The Nov. 7 election debacle that left people waiting for hours to cast their votes in Denver prompted Hickenlooper to promise he would personally pay out of his own pocket any election-related parking tickets.
There’s no way of knowing how many tickets would qualify, but if Hickenlooper paid all of those issued that day, the cost would be in excess of $60,000.
Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, the mayor’s spokeswoman, said 3,500 tickets were issued. She added that a parking ticket normally costs $20.
There are some stipulations before the mayor will pay the ticket.
To qualify, the parking ticket must have been issued to a registered voter within six blocks of a Denver vote center during voting hours, which began at 7 a.m. and stretched past the 7 p.m. time that polls were supposed to officially close. Those seeking payment should mail a copy of the ticket to the mayor’s office at 1437 Bannock St., Suite 350, Denver, CO 80202. To avoid late fees, the ticket must be received by Nov. 30.
If someone meeting the criteria already has paid their ticket, they can send a letter with their license plate number, a copy of their photo ID and, if available, proof of payment to the mayor’s office, and they will be reimbursed.
Staff writer Christopher N. Osher can be reached at 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com.
