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Headlines — November 10, 2022

November 10, 2022

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Headlines — November 10, 2022 Stacie Johnson

CD 3 Race Remains Too Close To Call

As of this morning, less than 100 votes separate Democrat candidate Adam Frisch and Republican incumbent Lauren Boebert in the race to represent Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.

County clerks offices will continue to tally ballots today and process ballots from military and overseas voters. Those absentee mail-in ballots may continue to trickle in this week. Voters have eight days after election day to cure rejected ballots.

If the slim margin holds, a difference of one half of a percentage point or less difference will trigger an automatic recount.

Colorado’s New 8th Congressional District Elects State’s First Latina To Congress

Colorado’s New 8th Congressional District elected its first Latina to represent Colorado in Congress. Democratic state Rep. Yadira Caraveo beat Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer in a tight race. Caraveo, a pediatrician, will be the first representative in Washington from Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District, which is 39% Latino and stretches from the northeast Denver suburbs into Greeley.

After Kirkmeyer conceded Wednesday night, Caraveo released a statement telling supporters the story of District 8 in many ways, is the story of her family, “My parents immigrated here to afford us a better life,” she said. “And because of their hard work, I could go to college, become a doctor, and live my version of the American dream.”

Three Statewide Ballot Measure Remain With Tight Margins

Election officials continue to tally votes across the state. Three measures – 122, decriminalizing psilocybin, measure 123 on affordable housing, and 125 allowing wine in grocery stores – as of this morning are still too close to call.

The Denver Post reports the 122 campaigners have already declared victory. If the votes add up, Colorado will be the second state to legalize medicinal mushrooms.

The Associated Press did declare Wednesday evening the defeat of Proposition 126, a measure that aimed to allow third party alcohol delivery.

Boulder’s New Library District Leading By Thin Margin

The Boulder measure to create a library district is now leading by a thin margin. Initial tallies on election night showed Ballot Question 6C, trailing by a narrow margin. This has changed since additional ballots were counted. The measure now leads by a margin of around 600 votes.

Denver Voters Currently Favoring All But One Local Ballot Measure

The latest unofficial election results from the Denver Clerk and Recorder’s office show voters approved all but one local ballot measure. The rejected initiative would have created a landlord fee to fund legal representation to tenants facing eviction.

Favored measures include recycling and composting for multifamily and non-residential properties, as well as a new tax to regulate and improve sidewalks.

For city council referred questions, Denver voters are leaning yes to an increased mill levy to fund the Denver Public Library system, to the city keeping excess funds raised for climate protection and homelessness, and to charter changes aiming to improve the city’s election procedures.

The Denver Election Division will release new results at 1:30 pm and 5 pm today.

Aurora’s Measure to Allow Convicted Felons To Run For Office Failed

A ballot initiative to change Aurora’s city charter allowing convicted felons to run for office appears to have failed.

Colorado’s constitution protects the right of citizens who have completed their criminal sentencing to run for office, with exceptions to certain crimes. Aurora has charter restrictions that bar anyone with prior felony convictions from running for office. They lifted its bar last year after the American Civil Liberties Union sued the city and a judge ruled it unconstitutional.

The ballot measure would have ensured the city’s laws align with those of the state.

Douglas County Voters Reject Two Ballot Measures

Douglas County residents rejected two ballot measures aimed at funding the school district. The two failed measures had unanimous support from the school board.

Ballot measure 5A would increase teacher salary by 9% in an area that pays teachers significantly less than neighboring school districts. Measure 5B would increase the district’s debt by $450 million.

Teachers and staff are disappointed but expect these measures to come up again in the future.

Cannabis Entrepreneur Becomes First Black Woman Elected To CU Board of Regrets In 40+ Years

Cannabis business owner Wanda James has become the first Black woman elected to the CU Board of Regents in over forty years. James is an alum of CU Boulder and the first in her family to receive a college degree. She previously served on CU’s Alumni Board of Directors and on the Colorado Tourism Board of Directors.

Two Abolitionists Elected To Colorado General Assembly

Abolitionists and community organizers Elisabeth Epps and Javier Mabrey have secured their legislative seats in the Colorado General Assembly. They were both favored to win in the general election after winning their respective Democratic primaries. Their victories build upon a trend of Denver Metro residents shifting toward electing openly progressive people of color to represent them in the state legislature.

Earlier this year, Epps won a class action lawsuit against the Denver Police Department for its use of excessive force against protesters during the summer of 2020.

Two Platteville Police Officers Face Criminal Charges

The two police officers involved in the railroad collision, leaving a detained woman seriously injured, face criminal charges. On September 16th, a Union Pacific train crashed into the Platteville Police Department patrol vehicle, where Yareni Rios-Gonzalez was detained.

According to a news release from the 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Fort Lupton Police Department officer, Jordan Steinke, and Platteville Police Department Sgt. Pablo Vazquez are facing several charges. Steinke is on administrative leave, but there is no information about Vazquez’s duty status.

Rios-Gonzalez’s attorney, Paul Wilkinson, told The Denver Post in September that his client saw the train coming and heard its horn. She tried to get the officers’ attention by screaming and also tried to unlock the police SUV’s door.