2023 Denver mayoral election
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. 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 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.
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. 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.
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. Johnston won the runoff by a comfortable margin, with Brough conceding the race on the night of the election.
Candidates
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
- Mike Johnston, former state senator, candidate for governor in 2018, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020
Eliminated in the first round
These candidates qualified to appear on the ballot, but were eliminated in the first round.- Renate Behrens, retired caretaker '
- Lisa Calderón, executive director of Emerge Colorado, former chief of staff to city councilor Candi CdeBaca, and candidate for mayor in 2019 '
- Al Gardner, information technology professional and Denver Civil Service Commission member '
- Chris Hansen, state senator '
- Leslie Herod, state representative '
- Aurelio Martinez, tech worker and former boxer
- Debbie Ortega, at-large city councilor
- Terrance Roberts, community organizer '
- Trinidad Rodriguez, financing executive and former Denver Housing Authority commissioner
- Andy Rougeot, maintenance executive
- Ean Tafoya, community organizer and former Colorado Environmental Justice Action Task Force co-chair '
- Robert Treta, property builder '
- James Walsh, University of Colorado Denver professor
- Thomas Wolf, investment banker and candidate for mayor in 2011 ''''
Disqualified
- Abass Bamba, data consulting firm president '
- Matt Brady '
- Alex Cowans
- Paul Noel Fiorino, dance teacher and perennial candidate '
- Sean Gallegos
- Marcus Giavanni, perennial candidate '
- Sylvia Herring
- Jesse Parris, community organizer
- Ken Simpson, tech consultant and perennial candidate
Withdrew
- Anna Burrell, sustainability consulting executive '
- Kwame Spearman, CEO of Tattered Cover '
- David Stevens, language tutoring school founder
- Alex Valdez, state representative ''''
Declined
- Auon'tai Anderson, Denver Board of Education vice president '
- Albus Brooks, construction executive and former Denver City Council president from the 9th district '
- Candi CdeBaca, city councilor for district 9 '
- Stephan Evans, activist and candidate for mayor in 2015 and 2019
- Kevin Flynn, city councilor for district 2 '
- Alec Garnett, former Colorado House of Representatives speaker
- Stacie Gilmore, city councilor and former council president '
- Cary Kennedy, senior advisor to governor Jared Polis, former Colorado State Treasurer, former deputy mayor of Denver, and candidate for governor in 2018
- Robin Kniech, at-large city councilor
- James Mejia, president of Denver Film and candidate for mayor in 2011
- Tim O'Brien, Denver City Auditor '
- Paul Pazen, former Denver Police Department chief
- Penfield Tate III, former state senator and candidate for mayor in 2003 and 2019 ''''
First round
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kelly Brough | Lisa Calderón | Chris Hansen | Leslie Herod | Mike Johnston | Debbie Ortega | Andy Rougeot | Ean Tafoya | Other | Undecided |
| SurveyUSA/9News | February 21–28, 2023 | 594 | ± 4.9% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 2% | 1% | 13% | 58% |
| Chism Strategies /Cygnal | February 9–10, 2023 | 405 | ± 4.9% | 8% | 3% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 3% | – | 9% | 59% |
| Searchlight Research | January 11–14, 2023 | 500 | ± 4% | 4% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 6% | 16% | – | 1% | 3% | 47% |