Last updated at 11 a.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7 was Election Day. Polls have been closed across the state as of 7 p.m. on Tuesday, and the CU Independent and The Bold covered the most important races as results came in.
Come back to this story throughout the day for updates on how the University of Colorado Boulder’s community is handling Election Day, and for real-time updates starting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7.
Boulder County has hired some 300 election workers for this year’s statewide coordinated election, about half the total the county would hire in a general election.
Want to know how or where to vote? Read our quick guide with all the details here.
As of 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 7, Boulder has counted about 85% of the reported returned ballots thus far. The CU Independent will return with a recap of the election and an update in the morning after the 1 a.m. round of results are tabulated.
Update: As of 11 a.m. on Nov. 8, all further coverage on the election results will be published separately on our website.
Boulder County ballots:
- 107,897 returned (as of 11 a.m. on Nov. 8)
- 105,520 counted (as of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8)
Colorado ballots returned:
- 1,441,848 (as of 11 a.m. on Nov. 8)
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Local issues
Ballot Issue 2A: Extension of city sales and use tax
Pro: 74.13%*
Against: 25.87%*
*As of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
11:01 p.m. – Celia Frazier: Votes in favor of Ballot Issue 2A continue to lead, with 24,309 votes counted on the measure. As the margin remains high, with 73.47% of votes for and 26.53% against, it is likely the issue will be passed, although it is too early for the CU Independent and The Bold to call.
9:35 p.m. – Kiara DeMare: Currently, 73.07% of the 20,075 votes for Ballot Issue 2A are in favor. It appears that the measure will pass considering the large gap, however it is too early for the CU Independent and The Bold to call the final result.
8:49 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: With 20,075 votes counted, 73.07% of voters are in favor of Ballot Issue 2A, while 26.93% are opposed. While it is too early for the CU Independent and The Bold to call the final results, the large gap between votes is making it appear likely that the measure will pass.
7:55 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: Ballot Issue 2A has had 15,121 votes counted. Currently, 72.16% of voters are in favor of the issue and 27.84% of voters are against the issue.
7:35 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: Boulder County has not released any results for local ballot issues. Results are expected to begin being released soon.
7:30 p.m. - Jessi Sachs: This issue will reauthorize sales tax and dedicate half of the funds to supporting arts and culture programs. This move could potentially double Boulder’s funding for these programs.
The measure would extend the city’s 0.15% sales tax for another twenty years, beginning on Jan. 1, 2025. Currently, the revenue from this tax goes towards Boulder’s general fund, which covers issues such as arts, firefighting, policing and other city functions.
If the issue passes, half of the funds would continue funneling into the general fund, while the other half would be dedicated to arts and culture.
Ballot Issue 2B: Elections administrative charter amendments
Pro: 86.46%*
Against: 13.54%*
*As of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
11:01 p.m. – Celia Frazier: Votes in favor of Ballot Issue 2B continue to rise, with 86.61% of 22,351 votes in favor and only 13.39% against. It is likely the issue will be passed, although it is too early for the CU Independent and The Bold to call.
9:35 p.m. – Kiara DeMare: With 18,511 total votes for Ballot Issue 2B, 86.84% of the votes are in favor of the issue. With 13.16% opposed. It is too early for the CU Independent and The Bold to call the final results however, the large gap between votes makes it appear likely that the measure will pass.
8:49 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: With 18,511 votes counted, 86.84% of voters are in favor of Ballot Issue 2B, while 13.16% of voters are against the measure. The CU Independent and The Bold cannot call the final results, the large gap between the votes is making it appear likely the measure will pass.
7:55 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: Ballot Issue 2B has received 13,977 votes, with 86.65% voting in favor of the measure and 13.55% voting against the measure.
7:30 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: This issue would change the city charter to clarify the rules concerning petitions.
If the issue passes, the city clerk would be given five extra days, 15 total, to process petitions. Petitioners would be given 160 days -rather than 150- to gather signatures. In addition, the issue would allow people to endorse candidates for city council and mayor from locations other than in front of the city clerk. Finally, the issue would clarify that state, not local, law controls petitions changing the city’s charter.
Ballot Question 302: Charter amendment to prioritize prohibited items located on city property
Pro: 61.42%*
Against: 38.58%*
*As of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
11:22 p.m. – Henry Larson: An hour before midnight, proponents of Question 302 have maintained their strong lead. 62.08% of voters are in favor of the measure, while opponents of the camping enforcement measure gained just 37.92% of the vote.
9:58 p.m. – Bella Hammond: Ballot Question 302 has held steady at approximately 60% in favor and 30% opposed. With 12,459 votes in favor and 7,603 opposed, it appears likely that the measure will pass. However, it is still too early for the CU Independent and The Bold to call the final results.
Question 302 has brought parents on both sides to a head as Safe Zones 4 Kids and Solutions Not Safe Zones campaign across the city. While Safe Zones continues to defend the issue as a measure for child safety, opponents argue that the question directly targets unhoused individuals.
Should the measure pass, it would bring up questions about how Safe and Managed Spaces, the team responsible for disbanding unsanctioned camps and prohibited items, will incorporate these requirements into the present point system used for determining which areas to prioritize.
8:54 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: 20,062 votes have been counted for Ballot Question 302. 62.1% of counted votes are in favor of the measure being passed while 37.9% of votes are against the measure.
7:55 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: Ballot Question 302 has received 15,122 votes. Currently, 63.16% of votes are for the measure, while 36.84% of votes are against it.
7:30 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: Tents, propane tanks and other temporary structures have already been banned throughout the city of Boulder.
These structures are already being removed using a point system that takes into account factors such as location, size and safety risk. If the question were to be passed, the removal of these structures would be prioritized within 500 feet of schools and within 50 feet of sidewalks.
Currently, schools are not given the highest priority, this is given to those that pose life-safety risks, such as encampments in storm drains.
Local candidates
Boulder Mayor
Round Two (as of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.)
Aaron Brockett: 50.85%
Nicole Speer: 0.00%
Bob Yates: 49.15%
Paul Tweedlie: 0.00%
Nov. 8:
4:30 p.m. – Henry Larson: Incumbent Aaron Brockett now holds a slim lead against Bob Yates for the Boulder mayoral race. Brockett has 50.85% of the vote, leading Yates by less than 500 votes. Still, this race is very close and difficult to call.
Nov. 7:
11:19 p.m. – Henry Larson: Councilmember Bob Yates has maintained his slim lead over incumbent Aaron Brockett in the race for Boulder mayor. It should be noted that this race uses ranked-choice voting, and any prediction before the vast majority of votes have been counted could be inaccurate.
9:01 p.m. – Cooper Baldwin: With the second batch of votes reported, Bob Yates still leads incumbent Mayor Aaron Brockett but has begun to see a diminishing lead in terms of second-round votes, as seen in the last batch results. Mayor Brockett picked up an astounding 73.5% of second-round votes in this batch from the elimination of Speer and Tweedlie. This brings Mayor Brockett’s total to 47.86%, 9,370 votes, and Bob Yates to 52.14%, 10,209 votes. This leads to approximately a 2% increase in Brockett’s total from the last batch and a 2% decrease from Yates. It will be interesting to watch if future vote batches continue to heavily break for Brockett in the second round, and it might make a difference for the mayor if he continues to be the voters’ second choice.
7:45 p.m. – Cooper Baldwin: While The Bold and the CU Independent cannot officially call the Boulder mayoral race at this time, Bob Yates leads incumbent Mayor Aaron Brockett in the first round tabulation. Yates received 49.71% first-round votes, 7,414 in total, to Brockett’s 32.19%, 4,801 votes in total. Upon moving to the second round of tabulation, Paul Tweedlie’s 291 votes and Nicole Speer’s 2,408 votes shifted to the top two candidates, with Brockett receiving 1,946 second-round votes and Yates receiving 561. It is notable that Mayor Brockett received an overwhelming majority of second-rank votes, meaning many Boulder voters preferred a different candidate, Tweedlie or Speer, but ranked the incumbent mayor as their second choice.
7:30 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: Boulder City’s mayor will be elected via rank-choice voting for the first time in local history. Four candidates are vying for the position including incumbent Aaron Brockett, Nicole Speer, Bob Yates and Paul Tweedlie.
Notably, Speer is part of the University of Colorado Boulder faculty and a member of the United Campus Workers Colorado union. Brockett campaigned as the incumbent, holding a position on the City Council since 2015. Both Brockett and Speer are both endorsed by Boulder Progressives. Yates taught as a professor at the CU Law School and involved himself in local art and parks and recreation management. He has also served on the City Council since 2015. Tweedlie is a newcomer to local politics and a Boulder community member.
Boulder City Council
Terri Brncic: 12.89%*
Jennifer Robins: 10.07%*
Aaron Neyer: 2.93%*
Jacques Decalo: 2.84%*
Silas Atkins: 5.72%*
Waylon Lewis: 7.75%*
Ryan Schuchard: 12.56%*
Tara Winer: 19.02%*
Tina Marquis: 13.52%*
Taishya Adams: 12.70%*
*As of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
11:17 p.m. – Henry Larson: After the third round of counted ballots, the same five council candidates, Winer, Marquis, Brncic, Adams and Schuchard, have maintained their spots as the top five candidates in the race for city council.
10:06 p.m. – Harry Larson: Tara Winer is the clear runaway so far in the Boulder City Council race. Tina Marquis has also put up a strong showing with 14.41% of the vote. The remaining three candidates who are currently in a position to take seats on council are all in a much more precarious position. Winer is an incumbent city council member who worked for the city before her time on council. Marquis was president of the BVSD school board before she ran for city office.
8:58 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: With 72,810 ballots counted in Boulder County, Winer, Marquis, Brncic, Schuchard and Adams remain in the lead. Schuchard gained ground and is now in the top four candidates by a margin of five votes. Robins still trails outside the top five (behind Adams) by a now wider margin of 851 votes.
7:40 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: Results released at 7:36 p.m. show Winer, Marquis, Brncic, Adams and Schuchard in the lead. Winer received the most votes so far at 10,418 and Schuchard currently has a narrow lead of 144 votes over Robins.
7:30 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: Ten candidates are competing for five seats on the Boulder City Council. Candidates have focused on issues such as homelessness, affordable housing and climate initiatives. Taishya Adams, Silas Atkins, Terri Brncic, Jacques Decalo, Waylon Lewis, Tina Marquis, Aaron Neyer, Jennifer Robins, Ryan Schuchard and Tara Winer are all in the running. Editor’s Note: This section was edited to correct that candidates are competing for five seats.
Boulder Valley School District
District A
Jason Unger: 59.24%*
Neil Fishman: 40.76%*
District C
Andrew Steffl: 9.77%*
Alex Medler: 64.35%*
Cynthia Nevison: 25.87%*
District D
Andrew Brandt: 42.32%*
Lalenia Quinlan Aweida: 57.68%*
District G
Anil Kiran Pesaramelli: 13.23%*
Stuart Lord: 24.62%*
Jorge Chávez: 62.15%*
*As of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
11:20 p.m. – Kiara DeMare: For District G, Jorge Chávez’s lead holds steady at 61.70% in comparison to Stuart Lord’s 25.09% and Anil Kiran Pesaramelli’s 13.21%.
11:18 p.m. – Kiara DeMare: Lalenia Quinlan Aweida continues to hold a lead of 58.26% for District D with Andrew Brandt falling behind at 41.74%.
11:10 p.m. – Kiara DeMare: Alex Medler maintains a strong lead in District C at 63.88% with Cynthia Nevison holding second at 26.28%. Andrew Steffl trails at 9.85%.
11:10 p.m. – Kiara DeMare: Jason Unger continues to hold the lead of District A at 59.62% with Neil Fishman behind at 40.38%.
8:57 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: Lalenia Quinlan Aweida is leading in the race for RE-2 Director District D with 58.66% of the total 32,878 votes. Andrew Brandt follows behind with 41.34% of the total vote count.
8:57 p.m. – Emme Clymer: Jorge Chávez remains the lead for the Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District G race with 20,094 votes, 60.95% of the total 32,968 votes. Stuart Lord is trailing behind with 8,401 votes and Anil Kiran Pesaramelli is following with 4,473 votes.
8:54 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: Alex Medler is leading in the race for RE-2 Director District C with 63.41% of the total 33,061 votes. Cynthia Nevison is trailing in second place with 26.68% of the votes.
8:52 p.m. – Emme Clymer: Jason Unger continues to lead in the Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District A race with 19,894 votes, which is 59.66% of the total 33,344 votes. Neil Fishman is following behind with 13,450 votes.
7:53 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: Lalenia Quinlan Aweida is leading in the race for RE-2 Director District D with 13,875 votes, 59.17% of the total vote count.
7:50 p.m. – Emme Clymer: As of 7:36 p.m. Jorge Chávez is leading in the race for Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District G with 14,035 votes, 59.91% of the total. There are a total of 23,428 votes.
7:46 p.m. – Emme Clymer: Jason Unger is leading the race for Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District A with 14,174 votes, or 59.73% of the total. As of 7:36 p.m. 23,729 total votes have been recorded.
7:45 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: Alex Medler leads the race for RE-2 Director District C with 14,620 votes, or 62.17% of the total vote count. Cynthia Nevinson is in second place with 27.74% of the total vote.
7:30 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: The Boulder Valley School District Board of Education elects representatives from seven different areas in the community. Candidates include Neil Fishman and Jason Unger for District A, Alex Medler, Cynthia Nevison and Andrew Steffl for District C, Lalenia Quinlan Aweida and Andrew Brandt for District D and Jorge Chávez, Stuart Lord and Anil Pesaramelli for District G. Candidates have addressed student mental health, disparities in achievement and discipline and the previous removal of officers from schools.
County issues
Ballot Issue 1A: Open space sales and use tax extension and revenue change
Pro: 80.34%*
Against: 19.66%*
*As of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
10:00 p.m. – Kiara DeMare: With 79.49% of votes in favor of Ballot Issue 1A, it appears the issue will pass. However, it is too early for the CU Independent to call.
9:00 p.m. – Celia Frazier: The percentage of votes in favor of Ballot Issue 1A has increased to 79.49% with a total of 71,892 recorded. The issue looks to pass and extend the open space sales and use tax for another 15 years. The tax has been extended or expanded six times after its implementation, most recently it was extended in 2016.
7:41 p.m. – Celia Frazier: With voter turnout at around 41% according to Nov. 1 data of active, registered voters in Boulder County, the majority of voters have voted for Ballot Issue 1A. With 52,148 votes cast, 78.08% of votes are for Ballot Issue 1A, while only 21.92% voted against the issue.
7:30 p.m. – Celia Frazier: Ballot Issue 1A deals with the current county open space sales and use tax, which is 0.475%. Of that, 0.05% is set to expire in 2024. If Ballot Issue 1A passes, the sales tax will continue to be used to buy, maintain and manage open space lands.
Ballot Issue 1B: Affordable housing tax extension and revenue change
Pro: 71.08%*
Against: 28.92%*
*As of 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
10:00 p.m. – Celia Frazier: With 70.05% of votes in favor of Ballot Issue 1B, it is likely the issue will pass. However, it is too early for the CU Independent and The Bold to call.
9:00 p.m. – Celia Frazier: Ballot Issue 1B continues to garner majority support, with 70.05% of 71,444 total voters in favor. The issue looks to pass and extend and allocate the funds to be used for affordable housing. The tax was extended and repurposed once before in 2018.
7:41 p.m. – Celia Frazier: With voter turnout at around 41% according to Nov. 1 data of active, registered voters in Boulder County, the majority of voters have voted for Ballot Issue 1B. With 52,148 votes cast, 68.13% of votes are for Ballot Issue 1A, while only 31.87% voted against the issue.
7:30 p.m. – Celia Frazier: If passed, Ballot Issue 1B would extend a .185% sales and use tax and direct it to affordable housing efforts in the county.
State issues
Proposition HH: Reduce property taxes and voter-approved revenue change
Pro: 39.83%*
Against: 60.17% (declared)*
*As of 11 a.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
9:03 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: With 95% of votes counted, Proposition HH has failed. 60.63% of the 1,235,768 recorded votes were against the Proposition and 39.37% of votes were in favor.
8:33 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Campaigns for and against Proposition HH have generated close to $3 million for votes, most of the money coming from undisclosed funders. The Democratic Proposition has been one of the most contentious propositions presented in this election.
8:03 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: 60.76% of votes have been recorded against Proposition HH, with 39.24% of votes in favor. 1,118,160 votes have been recorded.
8:00 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Of the 982,150 state votes, the majority of which are opposing Proposition HH, Boulder County has voted 56.95% in favor of this Proposition and 43.05% against.
7:39 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Proposition HH now has 61.84%, or 564,142 of the 912,307 recorded votes, against the proposition and 38.16%, or 348,165 votes, in favor of the Proposition.
7:30 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Proposition HH, if passed, would reduce property tax rates and allow states to retain and spend property tax rates that would otherwise be refunded to residents under the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). A new, increased cap on state revenue would be created, some of which would be allocated to local governments.
7:30 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: The Colorado Secretary of State’s office released that Proposition HH has 123,487 votes, or 39.62%, in favor of the measure and 154,193 votes, or 60.38%, against the measure.
Proposition II: Funding retention rate reduction
Pro: 66.73% (declared)*
Against: 33.27%*
*As of 11 a.m. on Nov. 8.
Nov. 7:
9:16 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Of the 1,247,514 total reported state votes, the majority of which were in favor of Proposition II, Boulder County has voted 81.98% in favor of this Proposition and 18.02% against.
9:03 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: With 95% of the 1,230,808 votes having been counted, Proposition II has passed. 66.34% of votes were in favor of the proposition and 33.66% of votes were against.
8:42 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: The Colorado Secretary of State’s office reported that Proposition II has 759,197 votes, or 66.01%, in favor of the Proposition and 391,007 votes, or 33.99%, against the Proposition.
8:01 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Proposition II has 684, 576 votes, or 66.04%, in favor of the Proposition and 375,796 votes, or 33.73%, against the Proposition.
7:58 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Proposition II has 641,300 votes, or 65.30%, in favor of the proposition. There are now 340,850 votes, or 34.48%, against the Proposition.
7:30 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: If passed, Proposition II would allow the retention of revenue that exceeds the state’s official projections. This revenue would come from increased taxes on cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine products, which voters endorsed in 2020 when Proposition EE was passed. This revenue would be reallocated to preschool programs.
7:30 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: The Colorado Secretary of State’s office released that Proposition II has 321,943 votes, or 67.42%, in favor of the Proposition and 155,574 votes, or 32.58%, against the Proposition.
Reporting by Lucy Adlen, Cooper Baldwin, Emme Clymer, Kiara DeMare, Celia Frazier, Isabella Hammond, Gabriella Isukh, Henry Larson, Jessi Sachs and Ann Marie Vanderveen
