DENVER — Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has offered an olive branch to the Clerk & Recorder's Office as he tries to manage a $200 million budget deficit, proposing $800,000 in additional funding in his revised budget at the request of the Denver City Council.
The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) interest that the mayor is using to address some budget shortfalls. However, Clerk & Recorder Paul López said that amount is still $2.7 million short of what his office needs to operate effectively.
“There's no way around having to potentially close vote centers, drop boxes," López said. "This would be a reduction of 300 poll workers."
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Earlier this month, López released a list of eight 24-hour ballot drop-off locations and 12 polling centers that would close next year for the 2026 primary election under the current budget cuts. Mayor Johnston disputed López's claims in a letter to the city council this week.
“Respectfully, while the clerk has suggested polling sites and ballot boxes would need to be reduced under this current proposal, little evidence has been presented that supports the argument that the cost of running an election has risen by more than $4 million over the last four years, or that services will need to be meaningfully reduced under the proposed budget,” Johnston said.
López told Denver7 the mayor's office isn’t taking into account rising costs for paper printing, the minimum wage, and postage. He also said it’s categorically false that his office has not presented any evidence.
"We've been working with the mayor's office since last year," López said. "In fact, we've met seven times, including this last week, which is eight times actually, to go through our budget, dollar for dollar, what it's going to cost and what is necessary to be able to run next year's primary and midterm elections."
Denver7 has been following the city's budget deficit and López's call for more funding. Read our previous coverage below:
- Denver Mayor Mike Johnston unveils 2026 budget proposal amid $200 million shortfall
- 'I see cuts to essential programs': City leader reacts to Mayor Johnston's proposed 2026 budget
- Denver Clerk and Recorder claims Mayor Johnston’s budget cuts will ‘decimate’ election operations in 2026
- Denver Republican Women pushes for full funding of clerk & recorder's office amid proposed budget cuts
- These ballot boxes and voting centers could close next year due to budget cuts, Denver clerk says
López said his office has tried to collaborate and find appropriate savings. He is asking the city council to amend the budget to fund his office so voters are not harmed.
“We have to make our voices heard," López said. "We have to be able to participate in these elections, access security, make sure that folks have access, as they did in years past."
Mayor Johnston, however, warned that additional funding to the Clerk & Recorder's Office could mean more cuts to other departments.
"Providing millions in new funding to the clerk when every other department is making cuts would result in even steeper cuts to other programs and personnel," the mayor wrote. "The city is committed to working with the clerk's office to find cost savings and provide support where possible."
The council will hold a public hearing next Monday, where residents can have their voice heard on the matter.
