Meet the candidates for Denver's open council seat
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Photo illustration: Allie Carl/Axios. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez
Denver voters will pick from 10 candidates in a rare fall City Council election to fill a vacant at-large seat.
Why it matters: The race falls on the same Nov. 3 ballot as the midterms, thrusting a crowded council contest in front of potentially thousands more voters than a typical city election.
State of play: Sarah Parady's resignation last month prompted a special election for the At-Large B seat on the 13-member council, with the winner needing only a plurality of the votes.
- There's no runoff.
The 10-candidate field includes policy wonks, business owners, nonprofit leaders, advocates and a former marijuana critic. All are seeking a seat that shapes development, writes policy and tweaks the city's budget.
- Most are political newcomers, and the majority are tapping into the city's public matching funds program.
The candidates are:
- Jake Browne, a former cannabis critic at the Denver Post, wants to use public campaign funds to pay for local projects including public cleanups and minor repairs.
- Cynthia Diaz, a small business owner, advocates for a strong middle class, backing immigrants and looking after neighbors.
- Raymon Anthony Doane, who previously ran for Congress as a Libertarian, had limited publicly available details about his council run.
- Gabriel Konkle, a community organizer and self-described jack of all trades, is campaigning to combat AI surveillance and data centers while demanding affordable rent.
- Monica Martinez, executive director of The Fax Partnership on East Colfax, helped develop 311 and is prioritizing affordability and equity.
- Melissa Mejia, former state director at Community Economic Defense Project and former aide to Councilmember Jamie Torres, says she wants to fight for working-class residents.
- Alfredo Reyes, former executive director at the Latino Cultural Arts Center in West Denver, describes himself as a grassroots visionary and has served on a civilian watchdog group.
- Julissa Soto, a health justice advocate, wants to focus on housing stability, affordability and economic mobility, including supporting small and minority-owned businesses.
- Whitney Traylor, founder of Traylor Law Group, is a trial attorney, professor and local TV legal analyst.
- Jeff Walker, a former RTD board director and city planning board member, highlights his experience with infrastructure improvements.
What's next: Denver Elections Division will host a draw on Wednesday to determine the ballot order, a spokesperson tells us.