Denver's early vote remains low ahead of June runoff election
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Roughly 1 in 10 Denver voters have returned their ballots ahead of Tuesday's runoff election, signaling meager interest and the potential for a last-minute deluge that delays the results.
- Yes, but: Turnout is higher than at this point ahead of the April 4 election.
By the numbers: Early voting among registered voters stood at 13% through Tuesday, according to an Axios Denver analysis of ballot return data.
- Democrats and Republicans are showing proportional interest, but unaffiliated voters who can swing elections remain undecided or uninterested.
Why it matters: A low-turnout election gives more power to the ardent supporters that return ballots in favor of a particular candidate.
- A last-day flood of ballots can lead to extended vote counting and delayed results in close races.
Of note: In April's municipal election, 44% of all ballots cast were returned on Election Day, and some contests weren't decided until days later.
What they're saying: Brad Revare, a city council candidate, said he's talking to voters to make sure they know about the upcoming election.
- "There's definitely a lot of folks just now realizing there is a runoff and they need to go turn in their ballots," he told Axios Denver.
The bottom line: "It's going to come down to turnout," he added.