The 2023 Denver mayoral election was held on April 4, 2023 to elect the mayor of Denver, Colorado, with a runoff held on June 6.[3] The election was officially nonpartisan and was held concurrently with elections for the Denver City Council, as well as city auditor and city clerk and recorder. Incumbent Democratic mayor Michael Hancock was term-limited and could not seek a fourth term in office. A historic field of seventeen candidates filed to run in the race to succeed Hancock.[4]
Since no candidate won a majority in the first round, former state senator Mike Johnston and former Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce CEO Kelly Brough advanced to a runoff. Candidates eliminated in the first round included Emerge Colorado executive director Lisa Calderón, maintenance executive Andy Rougeot, and state representative Leslie Herod.[5][6] Brough and Johnston were considered to be two of the more moderate candidates in the field, with the more progressive candidates like Calderón and Herod losing in the initial primary.[7]
Although Brough and Johnston shared similar ideological positions, Johnston was supported by leading progressive figures in the runoff, including Calderón and Herod, while Brough was supported by more conservative groups, including the local police union and the Denver Republican Party.[8][9] Johnston won the runoff by a comfortable margin, with Brough conceding the race on the night of the election.[10]
Advanced to the runoff
These candidates advanced to the runoff election to be held on June 6.
Kelly Brough, former Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce CEO and former chief of staff to then-mayor John Hickenlooper[11] (Party affiliation: Democratic)[12]
Al Gardner, information technology professional and Denver Civil Service Commission member (Party affiliation: Democratic)[18](endorsed Johnston in runoff)[19]
Terrance Roberts, community organizer (Party affiliation: Democratic)[26](endorsed Johnston in runoff)[19]
Trinidad Rodriguez, financing executive and former Denver Housing Authority commissioner[27]
Andy Rougeot, maintenance executive (Party affiliation: Republican)[28]
Ean Tafoya, community organizer and former Colorado Environmental Justice Action Task Force co-chair (Party affiliation: Democratic)[29](endorsed Johnston in runoff)[19]
Robert Treta, property builder (Party affiliation: Independent)[30](endorsed Brough in runoff)[15]
Brough also benefitted from $904,950 in independent expenditures by the group A Better Denver.
Calderón also had $731 spent against her by the group Save Denver Now.
Hansen also benefitted from $26,000 in independent expenditures by the group A Better Denver.
Herod also benefitted from $167,600 in independent expenditures by the group Ready Denver. She also had $4,651 spent against her by the group Save Denver Now.
Johnston also benefitted from $1,411,803 in independent expenditures by the group Advancing Denver.
Ortega also benefitted from $120,397 in independent expenditures by Denver Firefighters (International Association of Fire Fighters Local 858) and $10,000 by the group Protecting Denver's Future.
$750,000 of this total was self-funded by Rougeot.[59]
Tafoya also had $678 spent against him by the group Save Denver Now.
Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear
Al Gardner and Thomas Wolf with 3%; Trinidad Rodriguez and Terrance Roberts with 2%; Renate Behrens, Kwame Spearman, and Aurelio Martinez with 1%; James Walsh and Robert Treta with 0%
Alex Valdez with 2%; every other candidate combined for 1%
AFSCME Council 76 was absorbed by AFSCME Council 18 between endorsements.[97]
Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear
This poll was conducted for A Denver for Us All, a business coalition.