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Greetings,
Denver is facing a $200 million budget shortfall. As an independent agency under Section 8.1.2 of the City Charter, the Clerk & Recorder’s Office is solely responsible for administering elections.
Mayor Johnston’s proposed 2026 budget announced on Sept. 15 would underfund our office by $4.5 million—jeopardizing Denver’s nationally recognized election system and reducing voter access. Following this announcement, Denver Clerk & Recorder Paul López and his team were able to identify $1 million in savings by eliminating currently vacant positions in the agencies while reducing contingency funding set aside for unexpected costs and mandates, bringing the shortfall down to $3.7 million.
On Oct. 9, City Council voted 10–2 to recommend restoring our funding. However, the Mayor’s Oct. 20 revision added only $800,000 in ARPA interest, leaving a $2.7 million shortfall. These cuts would force the closure of polling centers and ballot drop boxes and eliminate one-third of our election judges—compromising core services Denver voters rely on.
We are asking for your support in contacting City Council to respectfully request that City Council amend the 2026 budget to include an additional $2.7 million, bringing the Clerk & Recorder’s total appropriation to $17.7 million to ensure accessible, secure elections for all Denver voters.
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