DISTRICT ATTORNEY-2ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT 

A new district attorney will fill the spot after incumbent Democrat Beth McCann announced she would not seek reelection in 2024. Unlike the other 21 judicial districts in Colorado, the 2nd Judicial District, with 715,000 residents, is not a combined court. Denver comprises four constitutionally separate courts: county court, district court, probate court, and juvenile court.

Democrats: 160,812; Republicans: 79,263; Unaffiliated: 243,754; Total active voters: 492,413

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

Name: John Walsh

Phone number: 303-736-9879

Email: info@walshfordenver.com

Website: walshfordenver.com

Mailing address: P.O. Box 7336, Denver, CO 80207

Education: Williams College and Stanford Law School

Why should the voters elect you to office?

I am passionate about protecting community safety and improving criminal justice in Denver, my hometown. I’ve spent a personal and professional lifetime here working with the community. President Obama nominated me to be Colorado’s US Attorney — chief federal prosecutor. I will bring years of experience successfully leading that large prosecution office to the Denver DA’s office — the biggest and most important DA’s office in Colorado. In this challenging time, proven, trusted leadership is what Denver needs.

Describe your philosophy on fighting crime

A lifetime working as a prosecutor and as a community member in Denver has taught me that to be effective protecting community safety, the Denver District Attorney must bring a combined strategy of enforcing the law — effectively, fairly prosecuting crimes and protecting crime victims — with aggressive community outreach and partnership to prevent crime and improve the quality of our criminal justice system.

Name: Leora Joseph

Email: contact@leorafordistrictattorney.com

Website: leorafordistrictattorney.com

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Barnard College, Columbia University, 1990; Juris Doctorate, McGill University Law School, 1993

Why should the voters elect you to office?

I’m the only candidate that has real experience leading change in a District Attorney’s office and supporting victims. I’m the candidate in the race with professional mental health experience, appointed to lead Colorado’s Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health, a state agency with 1,800 employees. I’m the choice of Denver’s first responders, and have been endorsed by Denver’s police and firefighters unions.

Describe your philosophy on fighting crime.

I believe that we cannot ignore crime; accountability is central to my beliefs about prosecuting. I also believe that we are suffering from a mental health crisis that is manifesting as a public safety crisis, and that we must explore true pathways to treatment for people who suffer from substance abuse disorders and mental illness. We can’t only arrest or incarcerate our way out of this problem.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY – 4TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

Once covering 18 of the state’s 26 counties, the 4th Judicial District has shrunk over the years. It now covers El Paso and Teller Counties, which have a combined population of 723,000.

Democrats: 88,790; Republicans: 187,763; Unaffiliated: 251,248; Total active voters: 536,887

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

Name: Michael J. Allen

Email: Michael@MichaelAllen4DA.com

Website: MichaelAllen4DA.com

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in History, University of Northern Colorado. 2021. Juris Doctorate, University School of Law, 2005.

Why should the voters elect you to office?

Experience matters. I’ve spent 20 years as a prosecutor and have dedicated my career to serving our community. I was named Homicide Prosecutor of the Year twice, in 2015 and 2017, and have a 100% conviction rate on homicide cases. I’ve also successfully led the prosecution effort on many high-profile cases, including the Letitia Stauch and Club Q cases. In each instance, I have held those defendants accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Describe your philosophy on fighting crime

As District Attorney, I work hard to exercise prosecutorial discretion in a way that makes our community safer. We do that by giving second chances to those who deserve the opportunity to learn from their transgressions, while also holding accountable career and violent criminals who prey on innocent victims. To be successful, I work closely with the community and local law enforcement leaders, while also looking for inventive solutions that keep our community safe.

Name: David Willson

Email: dwlaw1990@outlook.com

David Willson did not answer the questionnaire.

Editor’s note: Candidates are listed in the order they appear on ballots. Active voter registration numbers are current as of the Colorado Secretary of State’s update on June 1, 2024.