Welcome to the Colorado Politics, The Denver Gazette and Colorado Springs Gazette live blog of the 2024 elections. We have a dozen journalists covering today’s elections and we will be updating this blog throughout the day — and night. So, be sure to check here for election results, developments and other updates. 

4 a.m. Trump wins

Former President Donald Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, sealing a remarkable return to the White House and bringing to a close an unprecedented election season.

Trump surpassed the magical 270 threshold needed shortly after 5.30 a.m., according to the Associated Press, when Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes were awarded to him. He will become the first president in 127 years to serve two non-consecutive terms in office, joining Grover Cleveland as the only man to return to the White House in such a manner.

8:31 p.m. Zenzinger, Kerr lead Jefferson County Commission races

District One candidate and term-limited Democratic State Senator Rachel Zenzinger is leading Republican Charlie Johnson, Unity Party candidate Eric Bodenstab and Libertarian Orion Schalhamer, according to early and unofficial results.

Initial numbers from the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder’s Office show Zenzinger leading with 55.86% to Johnson’s 41.40%. 

Schalhamer and Bodenstab trail with 1.89% and .85%, respectively.

In District Two, Democrat incumbent Andy Kerr leads Republican challenger Natalie Menten 57.0% to 42.96%. 

8:17 p.m. Early election results seem to indicate Jeffco voters may ready to de-Bruce

For the third time in five years, Jefferson County has asked voters to keep and spend all of the revenue that it collects above the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights limit, which would eliminate refunds to taxpayers.

First numbers from the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder show the controversial county ballot measure leading 58.38% to 41.62%. 

8:11 p.m. AP Race Call: Harris wins Colorado

Kamala Harris won Colorado on Tuesday, picking up the state’s 10 electoral votes. Colorado was once a purple state, flipping between Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, but it has shifted blue in the past two decades. The last Republican presidential candidate to snag Colorado’s electoral votes was George W. Bush in 2004. Since then, it’s backed Democratic presidential candidates, with Joe Biden winning it handily in 2020. Colorado gained its 10th electoral vote after the 2020 census, attributed to population growth around Denver. 

The early and unofficial tally shows Harris winning Colorado by 16 points. Donald Trump has 41% of the vote.  

8:13 p.m. Lauren Boebert jumps to early lead in CD4

Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert jumped to an early lead over Democrat Trisha Calvarese in Colorado’s deep red 4th Congressional District, according to the unofficial and early returns on Tuesday night.

Boebert, who moved into the district after a close call in her old seat, led Calvarese by about 8.5 points, 52.3% to 43.9%, in initial results posted shortly after polls closed at 7 p.m. Libertarian nominee Hannah Goodman had 2.3%, and a pair of additional third-party candidates trailed.

7:48 p.m. Douglas County results show victories for Teal, Van Winkle, tax measures

Douglas County Commissioner George Teal appears to have secured his second term on the board. Kevin Van Winkle, a Republican, running to replace Commissioner Lora Thomas who is term limited, also appears to be winning, according to early results.

Tax measures from Castle Rock and the Douglas County School District also show early voter support.

7:40 p.m. Arapahoe County voters poised to pass ‘de-Brucing’

Issue 1A, which asks if the county should ‘de-Bruce’, has strong support, with a 30-point lead. 

Under Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, voters may allow their respective governments to “de-Bruce” — that is, permit a county, municipality, or school district to eliminate TABOR’s revenue limit and use all the taxes it has collected for spending priorities. The phrase references the constitutional amendment’s author, Douglas Bruce.

7:39 p.m. Amendment 79 enshrining right to abortion in Colorado Constitution appears to have passed

A constitutional amendment to protect the right to abortion and repeal a ban on public funding for abortions appears to be headed to approval, taking a commanding lead according to unofficial results. 

The measure, supported by organizations like the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) and Coloradans for Reproductive Freedom, received roughly 80% of the vote. Early tallies show 489,251 votes in favor of the amendment to 289,191 against it.

7:37 p.m. ‘Trophy Hunting’ ban for big cats losing

A ballot measure seeking to prohibit the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, and lynx is losing, according to early results. Early numbers show 54% of the votes counted are against the ban to the 45% voting in favor.

Proposition 127 has received about 56% of the vote, according to unofficial preliminary results released just over polls closed.

7:36 p.m. Ranked-choice voting measure failing

A hotly debated initiative that seeks to change how primary and general elections are run in Colorado has passed/failed, according to early election results.  

Nearly 56% of voters have cast their ballots against Proposition 131, which would establish a top-four primary election and ranked choice voting for certain state and congressional races, as of 7:30 p.m. Currently, vote tallies show 596,348 are against it, while 479,352 have voted in favor. 

7:35 p.m. Denver voters reject slaughterhouse ban

Denver voters want to keep open the city’s only slaughterhouse, with early results showing them resoundingly defeating a measure seeking to ban slaughterhouses in the city, according to the early and unofficial tally on Tuesday night.

The proposal is losing by about 40 points: About 35.8% of Denver voters are supporting it, against 64.25% in opposition, according to the initial results.

“We are eager for the campaign to be over regardless of the results. We feel like we’ve done what we can, learned what we can, and now we have to let go and see what happens,” said Olivia Hammond, a member of Pro Animal Future, the group supporting both the fur and slaughterhouse bans.

7:31 p.m. Aurora pit bull ban question close

Early election results are showing a close margin on the Aurora ballot question asking voters if they want to allow pit bull ownership. Overturning the current breed ban has a 6-point lead, the initial results show. 

7:29 p.m. Denver voters favor $1 billion school bond  

A nearly $1 billion school bond appears poised to win big, assuming the early and unofficial tally of votes on Tuesday night hold.

Denver voters have been approving school bond measures for the past three decades.

The measure is passing with 73.2% of voters voting in favor, according to Denver’s initial and unofficial election results.

7:29 p.m. Judicial discipline amendment favored by wide margin

Colorado voters are on track to enact changes to the way state judges are investigated and disciplined, favoring Amendment H by a margin of 74% to 26% according to the initial and unofficial tally on Tuesday night.

As an amendment referred by the legislature that adds language to the constitution, the measure requires 55% support to pass.

7:22 p.m. Arapahoe County appears to elect Rhonda Fields

After the first ballot drop of the evening, with almost 50% of the votes counted, Rhonda Fields has a 30-point lead in district five over opponent Eliseo Gonzalez.

Carrie Warren-Gully has a 17-point lead over Tyler Linnebur in District 1.

In District 3, incumbent Jeff Baker and Scott Brown are tied.

7:15 p.m. Denver voters poised to reject fur ban 

Denver voters appear to reject a proposal to prohibit the manufacture, sale, distribution, and display of fur products in the city, according to the unofficial and early tally.

The proposal is losing, 42.2% to 57.8%, initial results from the Denver Clerk & Recorder show.

The proposal was introduced by the same group that sought to ban slaughterhouses in the city.

7:15 p.m. Voters favor sales tax hike for Denver Health — but not for affordable housing

Denver voters are split on two sales tax measures that would raise $100 million for housing and earmark $70 million to help fund the city’s safety net health care system.

The sales tax for Denver Health, the city’s safety net hospital system, appeared to be more palatable for voters. It was ahead, 56.6% to 43.4%, the initial results show.

The bigger sales tax hike, designed to pay for affordable housing, is getting less support. So far, the vote is split: 47.8% against 52.2%.

7:01 p.m. Trump wins Texas, Wyoming and both Dakotas

Former President Donald Trump won Texas Tuesday night, claiming the state’s 40 electoral votes for Republicans. Trump was expected to carry the traditionally-red state.

Trump is also the projected winner in Wyoming and both North and South Dakota.

6:30 p.m. AP Race Call: Kamala Harris wins Illinois

Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois on Tuesday, claiming the state’s 19 electoral votes for Democrats. The reliably blue state, the home of former President Barack Obama, has supported Democratic presidential candidates since 1992. 

6:30 p.m. AP Race Call: Trump wins Florida

A strong across-the-board showing by Donald Trump helped propel the Republican former president to victory in Florida, once a preeminent swing state that has increasingly slipped out of Democrats’ grasp. 

Trump not only improved on his 2020 performance in Republican areas of the state. He made inroads with voters in Florida’s battleground areas and was on pace to outperform Vice President Kamala Harris in areas considered to be moderately Democratic. Trump led Harris by 11 percentage points with about 80% of the expected vote report when the race was called.

6:05 p.m. Polling staffers display more enthusiasm than student voters at Colorado College

Spirits were high on Election Day at the polling center on the Colorado College campus. A staffer handing out ballots grins and tells each voter to “Have fun!” Student organizations provided free donuts and coffee to voters outside, and volunteers set up speakers to play music.

Colorado College, a small liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, hosted a polling center on its campus for the first time on Election Day.

All the election judges wore stars and stripes and sweaters or neckties decorated with the American flag. There was no sense of administrative boredom here. When there’s a snag with someone’s registration, the staff navigated the issue with humor, making students feel at ease.

As voters placed their ballots into the black box, a staffer draped in an American flag eagerly hands them an “I Voted” sticker and thanks them for voting.

Students, however, felt less excited.

“I feel really nervous,” said Sacha Levine, a first-time voter and CC student. “I’ve been trying not to get my hopes up about the idea of Kamala winning, because I want to be prepared for either scenario.”

Riley Cronin, a participant at a nonpartisan fellowship in Colorado Springs, said, “I voted for Kamala. I feel hopeful, but definitely nervous and a bit anxious.”

First time voter Ady Bolinger, said, “I’m feeling everything…I feel anxious. I’m also feeling joyful about the act of voting and how much community is built, especially on this campus, around voting and protecting certain rights, protecting democracy. So, I’m feeling optimistic about that, but I’m also feeling realistic about the fact that it’s so close that it could go either way.

 “Just in terms of representation, it does feel really good to be choosing not between two white men for president and to have a more diverse candidate pool,” added Bolinger, who is the student director of CC Votes.

Students cited abortion rights and the economy as their primary concerns.

5:45 p.m. Live from Number 38, the election night watch party for the Colorado Democratic Party

A capacity-plus crowd of 600 is expected at the CDP watch party at Number 38 in RINO North.

Among the early attendees: U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Aurora, who’s running for his fourth term in Congress. 

Crow told Colorado Politics he’s spent time in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Georgia, helping House colleagues in key races. The energy is high, he said. “People are thirsty to move our country forward and end the fighting.”

He believes Vice-President Kamala Harris will do very well, citing high turnout. People are going to be surprised; he said, it’s a reflection of people wanting to move forward, women wanting control over their bodies and autonomy, and a reflection of the younger generation wanting climate justice. 

If Democrats win the U.S. House, his role will continue to prioritize Colorado. “I take seriously the title of representative and that’s to deliver for the 6th District” and to stand up for the constitution and rule of law. “We still have a lot of work to repair the divisions in our country, to lead in a compassionate way and to listen to each other…I will work very hard at that.

He said he intends to address the climate crisis, lowering costs and for common-sense gun violence prevention, a big issue for his district, which has been disproportionately impacted by gun violence. That includes a federal ban on assault weapons.

He said, “I’m been very clear about that,” as well as legislation on universal background checks and the loophole bill he’s sponsored in the past that would stop treating handguns differently from rifles and shotguns. 

5:30 p.m. – Early Denver ballot return data

In the city and county of Denver, just under 280,000 total ballots have been cast, while about 140,000 remain uncast, as of 4:05 p.m. on Election Night, according to the city clerk and recorder.

In total 129,860 registered Democrats have cast votes, while 28,398 Republican ballots have been cast. Of unaffiliated voters, 116,698 ballots have been cast along with 4,667 ballots for minor parties. The city is processing about 10,000 Democratic ballots, 1,773 Republican ballots, 10,067 unaffiliated ballots and 391 minor party ballots.

Colorado polls close at 7 p.m. If voters are in line before 7 p.m. and have not voted by that time, they are legally allowed to remain in line until they vote.

4:55 p.m. – Optimism about Denver school bonds

One question we’ll be watching tonight is Ballot Issue 4A, in which the Denver Public Schools is asking voters to approve a nearly $1 billion bond.

“I feel very optimistic,” DPS Board President Carrie Olson said Tuesday. “But I also don’t count my chickens before they hatch.”

Denver voters have been school bonds for three decades. Olson hopes this year won’t be different.

“I hope this year is not an anomaly,” Olson said.

1:30 p.m. Denver Mayor hosts Get Out The Vote Events  

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston hosted a number of Get Out The Vote events around the city today, including delivering coffee and donuts for poll workers at the McNichols Building, hosting a round table at the Zion Senior Citizens Center, and canvassing at a number of locations around the city. 

“As Americans, there is no responsibility more dear and more sacred than our right to vote,” Johnston said. “I urge everyone who hasn’t yet voted to make a plan to get to the polls tonight. Whether it’s walking to the ballot box with your kids or skipping the gym and exercising your civic duty instead, don’t miss out on this critical opportunity to make your opinion count on the issues facing our city, state and country.”

12:55 p.m. Ask the Gazette about ballot initiatives

Click on the link below to type in your questions about state ballot initiatives.

You can ask questions like: What are the pros and cons of Proposition 131 How does the Gazette recommend I vote on ranked-choice voting?

Tell me about this lion-hunting thing.

Information is drawn from Secretary of State and Gazette Voting Guide documents only. The chatbot does not have access to information to answer any questions beyond the ballot initiatives, such as questions about candidates.

https://chatgpt.com/g/g-W77NnySps-colorado-ballot-initiative-guide

12 p.m. Explanation: Denver’s RTD/TABOR override ballot issue 7A

Denver Ballot Issue 7A asks voters to approve RTD’s request to permanently retain and spend all revenues it collects. This is called a Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) override that would remove any obligation to return over-collected taxes to taxpayers. It also would authorize RTD to retain all grants and money received from any source, including the State of Colorado.

Voters exempted RTD from TABOR revenue and spending limits in 1995. The exemption expired at the end of 2005. Voters again exempted RTD in 1999 for the purposes of paying off the debt incurred for the construction of the Southeast and Southwest light rail lines. That exemption expires December 31, 2026.

The 0.4% sales and use tax RTD imposes on district residents increased the total sales tax rate from 0.6% to 1.0% by ballot initiative in 2004 and went into effect January 1, 2005 to pay for RTD’s FasTracks light rail improvements. When that debt is paid off, the tax rate will be reduced by 0.4%, back to the 0.6% base sales tax and the TABOR exemption will expire no later than 2050. The RTD Board of Directors approved the 2024 permanent TABOR exemption in June.

11:13 a.m. Jeffco Clerk and Recorder reports brisk voter turnout

As polls opened across Jefferson County this morning, Clerk and Recorder Amanda Gonzalez said she’s seeing a lot of enthusiastic out and about this morning. “In-person voting centers and ballot boxes are having lots of foot traffic and we’re eager to see big returns,” she said. “I’m very proud that Jeffco has led the state in ballot returns for most of voting so far, because I firmly believe our democracy is better and stronger when everyone participates.” 

11 a.m. Officials investigate likely election fraud at Denver senior center  

A possible attempt to duplicate voter ballots at a Denver adult day care center is under investigation by at least four Front Range Colorado counties and possibly two more.

The alleged fraud was caught by Denver Clerk & Recorder election staff who were manually reviewing individual ballots and noticed voter signatures did not match up. The incident involved 60 voters and their ballots in six counties, according to the Colorado County Clerk’s Association. Two of those ballots belonged to voters in Boulder County, Mircalla Wozniak with the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s office confirmed.

The potentially phony votes were not counted.

The other counties besides Boulder included Adams, Douglas, Jefferson and Arapahoe. The Denver Gazette confirmed that the Denver, Arapahoe and Adams County District Attorney offices are investigating the possible election fraud incident, which centers around one Denver adult day care center.

Adams County Clerk and Recorder Josh Zygielbaum confirmed an investigation is underway.

“I can tell you that our systems work and, once again, Clerk’s offices have protected the sanctity of the election,” he said.

It’s not clear why or how this happened, or exactly when Denver election workers caught the mismatched signatures.

In a statement, Denver Clerk Paul Lopez said “our office discovered ballot irregularities tied to an adult day care operating in Denver and referred them to law enforcement. The irregularities were discovered when several voter signatures had discrepancies, and all were associated with a single address.”

Lopez added that the incident is a good example of how “Colorado’s multi-layered ballot processing systems have been proven effective in identifying irregularities in voted ballots, assuring voters Colorado elections are safe and accurate.”

A spokesperson for the 18th Judicial District, which includes Arapahoe and Douglas counties, confirmed that a criminal investigator is looking into “irregularities” — but that no arrests have been made.

Election fraud involving voter impersonation is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, or jail time of up to 18 months, or both.

10 a.m. Arapahoe County sees good voter turnout

Arapahoe County spokesperson Anders Nelson said the county’s election centers are seeing a lot of traffic and voting is going well as of Tuesday morning.

By 9 a.m., the Smoky Hill Library voting center had already seen over 200 in-person voters, Nelson said.

“Things are going well, no issues, and we’ve had really good turnout,” Nelson said.

10 a.m. Boulder County closed

With the exception of the Elections Division, Boulder County government offices are closed today. Officials cited Election Day as the reason for the closure. 

“The county closure does not impact 24/7 public safety, child or adult protection services or maintenance operations,” the county said in a news release. “The District Attorney’s Office is also open Nov. 5.”

The City of Boulder offices appear to be open, as with most other government offices. 

Voting center locations are open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Online services are still available at boco.org.

Gov. Jared Polis encourages Coloradans to vote this Election Day

It’s Election Day, and Gov. Jared Polis encouraged all Coloradans to make their voices heard by voting before polls close at 7 p.m. 

“Those who get out and vote get to determine the future of our country,” he said. “I encourage every Coloradan to vote because our democracy is strongest when everyone participates. Colorado has the gold standard of election systems and Coloradans can trust that our elections are safe, secure, and accurate. Remember to get out and vote by 7 pm today to ensure your voice is heard!”

To find a polling place or drop box near you, click here. 

9 a.m. Where to drop off your ballot or vote?

For voters who have yet to cast a ballot, this link allows people to enter their address and find the closest drop boxes or voting locations: https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/VIP.html. 

Voters can only find more information by going to their county’s websites. Here’s a handy link: https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Resources/CountyElectionOffices.html. 

5 a.m. What’s at stake?

Roughly 3.5 million Coloradans will cast a ballot by 7 p.m. today, their choices potentially steering the state on an array of issues — from hunting to taxation to education.

Even as the country’s attention is focused on the race for the White House between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, Coloradans are poised to decide how future elections are conducted and whether to enshrine school choice or abortion rights in the Colorado Constitution.

In another question, voters might ban Coloradans from hunting big cats.

Those are just a few of the 14 questions on the statewide ballot.

Also on election night, the state’s voters could have a hand in picking which party wields the gavel in the U.S. House of Representatives when the next Congress convenes in January.

There’s plenty of action in local jurisdictions, as well.

In Denver, voters will determine the fate of the sole slaughterhouse inside city limits, along with rendering a verdict on two proposed sales tax hikes expected to generate $100 million for housing and $70 million for Denver Health, respectively.

Elsewhere, voters will consider whether to let local governments keep and spend all of the tax revenue they collect. In some jurisdictions, voters will also decide whether to approve borrowing money for schools.

Voters in Aurora stand to either repeal a ban on certain pit bull breeds or keep it in place.

4:30 a.m. Watch the 4th Congressional District  

With longtime U.S. Reps. Ken Buck and Doug Lamborn deciding not to run for reelection, new faces will take a seat in the 4th and 5th congressional districts.

Kind of.

After deciding to leave the 3rd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert looks to represent the Republican-leaning 4th district, where she faces Democratic challenger Trisha Calvarese. Boebert is expected to win her race, though some are closely watching her margin of victory.

“The margin of victory by Boebert in the 4th CD will be interesting to watch,” Republican strategist and former GOP chairman Dick Wadhams said. “Ken Buck carried the district by 22 points in 2022. The 4th is more than 50% suburban due to Douglas County and the Loveland piece of the district in Larimer County, which makes it fundamentally different than her former district, which had none of suburban Denver in it.”

4:30 a.m. And also the 3rd Congressional District 

In the 3rd Congressional District, many give Democrat Adam Frisch a fair chance of defeating Republican Jeff Hurd. 

“Ultimately, Hurd will win,” Wadhams predicted.

Ian Silverii, a veteran Democratic strategist, said he also views the 3rd CD race as a “true tossup, though it shouldn’t be.”

“Adam Frisch’s incredible campaign has just been swamping Jeff Hurd’s, so I think Adam will pull it off this time and Democrats will send six of eight of our congressional delegates as Democrats to Washington, DC.,” Silverii said.

Michael Dino, a political expert who served as campaign manager for former Mayor Wellington Webb, said Vice President Kamala Harris’ margin of victory in Colorado — many expect her to easily carry Colorado — will be important to the outcome in the 8th CD and perhaps even in the 3rd CD.

“The higher the margin, 15% or above, and the better chance Dems are successful in these congressional districts,” Dino said.

4 a.m. All eyes on the 8th Congressional District

Voters in the 8th Congressional District could decide which party controls the U.S. House.

U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo, who is seeking a second term, is facing Republican Gabe Evans.

Like 2022, the race is expected to be close.

“As for Colorado, I also feel bullish, and I think Yadira Caraveo will handily beat Gabe Evans. I’ve been telling people I think it will be by a bigger margin than she won with against Barb Kirkmeyer last cycle,” said Ian Silverii, a veteran Democratic strategist. 

4 a.m. Do not mail your ballots!  

Coloradans who still have not voted should not mail their ballot.

Instead, bring them to a voting center or drop box.  

4 a.m. More than 2 million early ballots turned in by midnight Sunday 

According to the latest data from the Colorado Secretary of State, more than 2 million Coloradans have turned in their ballot so far, representing a little under half of the state’s registered voters.

Of the ballots cast so far, 29% were submitted by Democrats, 27% by Republicans, 42% were by unaffiliated voters, and 0.17% by members of the American Constitution Party.

Nearly 97% of all ballots returned so far were submitted by mail.

4 a.m. Election security questioned ahead of Election Day

Secretary of State Jena Griswold faced calls to resign last week after she acknowledged that a spreadsheet that had been posted online for months to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office website “improperly included” passwords to some components of the state’s election system.

Her announcement came on the heels of a release issued earlier in the day by the Colorado Republican Party that said the spreadsheet included a hidden tab that could be toggled to display the passwords.

Griswold and Gov. Jared Polis stressed the passwords have been changed and Colorado elections are secure. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign demanded that Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold take immediate action to halt ballot processing in order to secure the state’s election equipment after voting machine passwords were posted online by her office. The Colorado Libertarians also filed a lawsuit against Griswold over the leaked passwords. 

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