Denver Mayor’s Race Could Be Won by 28% in the First Round

In the last two Denver mayor elections, Hickenlooper in 2003 and Hancock in 2011, about 113,000 voted, with the front runners not getting 50 percent, forcing a runoff between the top two candidates.

In 2003, four candidates out of eight received double digit votes and John Hickenlooper lead with 43 percent.

The 2011 open seat first round election saw Michael Hancock come in second with 27 percent just beaten by Chris Romer with 28 percent. Hancock went on to win. Out of ten candidates, three recorded double-digit wins, with James Mejia in third at 26 percent.

In the 2023 election with 4 or 5 top contenders out of 17 candidates 25 to 30 percent could win first and second positions and compete in the runoff.