In case most Denverites didn’t notice, there was an election Tuesday, and Mayor John Hickenlooper cruised to an easy re-election victory.
That was one of many non-surprises in this week’s city election. All incumbents seeking re-election were returned to office.
Acting clerk and recorder Stephanie O’Malley became the first elected clerk and recorder in Denver history, replacing the city’s traditional election commission system. O’Malley beat city employee Jacob Werther with 78 percent of the vote to Werther’s 22 percent. After computer problems that produced long lines at the polls in November, voters backed a City Council-led effort to disband the Denver Election Commission in favor of a clerk and recorder system, hoping to eliminate problems that have plagued several elections in Denver.
A ballot proposal to extend term limits for Denver’s district attorney from two to three terms also was approved, as it should have been. The mayor, council and other elected officeholders are allowed to serve three consecutive four-year terms, and it only made sense that the city’s chief prosecutor should have the same opportunity.
This week’s election was one of the quietest in memory. Even though voters had the opportunity to cast their ballots by mail, only a paltry 37 percent or so did so. Of 189,000 ballots mailed out, about 70,000 were returned.
The usual public and political fanfare that goes with a second-term mayoral competition in Denver never materialized. It was a huge contrast from 2003 when Hickenlooper, then a political novice, was one of seven mayoral candidates who ultimately won in a runoff. Historically, second-term mayoral elections in Denver have turned into dogfights, but Hickenlooper had no strong opposition, despite huge problems with last November’s elections and winter snowstorms that strained the city’s snow removal system and left thousands of people stuck in their homes. He overwhelmed public works supervisor Danny Lopez with 88 percent of the vote to Lopez’s 12 percent.
Hickenlooper, a former restaurant owner, has a full agenda ahead of him that includes reforming education, continuing to reduce homelessness and improving the city’s infrastructure. We wish him well, along with the other elected officeholders.
Runoff elections will be held June 5 to determine winners in three City Council districts: Paul Lopez faces JoAnn Phillips in District 3; Chris Nevitt and Shelly Watters contend in District 7; and Sharon Bailey and Carla Madison face off in District 8.
