Last updated at 8:12 p.m.

It’s election day. Polls close across the state at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7 and the CU Independent and The Bold will be covering the most important races as results come in.Come back to this story throughout the day for updates on how the University of Colorado Boulder’s community is handling Election Day, and for real-time updates starting at 7 p.m. Boulder County’s first election results are expected to arrive around 7:20 p.m. this evening.

Boulder County has hired some 300 election workers for this year’s statewide coordinated election, about half the total the county would hire in a general election.

Want to know how or where to vote? Read our quick guide with all the details https://www.cuindependent.com/2023/11/05/voting-on-election-day/

Boulder County ballots returned:

• 95,034 (as of 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7)

Colorado ballots returned:

• 1,271,871 (as of 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 7)

Local issues

This includes Ballot Issue 2A, 2B and Question 302 on city resident’s ballots.

Ballot Issue 2A: Extension of city sales and use tax 

Pro: 72.16%

Against: 27.84%

7:55 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: Ballot Issue 2A has had 15,121 votes counted. Currently, 72.16% of voters are  in favor of the issue and 27.84% of voters are against the issue.

7:35 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: Boulder County has not released any results for local ballot issues. Results are expected to begin being released soon.

7:30 p.m. –  Jessi Sachs: This issue will reauthorize sales tax and dedicate half of the funds to supporting arts and culture programs. This move could potentially double Boulder’s funding for these programs.

The measure would extend the city’s 0.15% sales tax for another twenty years, beginning on Jan. 1, 2025. Currently, the revenue from this tax goes towards Boulder’s general fund, which covers issues such as arts, firefighting, policing and other city functions.

If the issue passes, half of the funds would continue funneling into the general fund, while the other half would be dedicated to arts and culture.

Ballot Issue 2B: Elections administrative charter amendments

Pro: 86.65%

Against: 13.35%

7:55 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: Ballot Issue 2B has received 13,977 votes, with 86.65% voting in favor of the measure and 13.55% voting against the measure.

7:30 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: This issue would change the city charter to clarify the rules concerning petitions.

If the issue passes, the city clerk would be given five extra days, 15 total, to process petitions. Petitioners would be given 160 days -rather than 150- to gather signatures. In addition, the issue would allow people to endorse candidates for city council and mayor from locations other than in front of the city clerk. Finally, the issue would clarify that state, not local, law controls petitions changing the city’s charter.

Ballot Question 302: Charter amendment to prioritize prohibited items located on city property

Pro: 63.16%

Against: 36.84%

7:55 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: Ballot Question 302 has received 15,122 votes. Currently, 63.16% of votes are for the measure, while 36.84% of votes are against it.

7:30 p.m. – Jessi Sachs: Tents, propane tanks and other temporary structures have already been banned throughout the city of Boulder.

These structures are already being removed using a point system that takes into account factors such as location, size and safety risk. If the question were to be passed, the removal of these structures would be prioritized within 500 feet of schools and within 50 feet of sidewalks.

Currently, schools are not given the highest priority, this is given to those that pose life-safety risks, such as encampments in storm drains.

 

Local candidates

This includes city council, mayoral, judicial retention and BVSD school board seats.

Boulder Mayor

Round Two

Aaron Brockett: 45.83%
Nicole Speer: ELIMINATED
Bob Yates: 54.17%
Paul Tweedlie: ELIMINATED

7:45 p.m. – Cooper Baldwin: While The Bold and the CU Independent cannot officially call the Boulder mayoral race at this time, Bob Yates leads incumbent Mayor Aaron Brockett in the first round tabulation. Yates received 49.71% first-round votes, 7,414 in total, to Brockett’s 32.19%, 4,801 votes in total. Upon moving to the second round of tabulation, Paul Tweedlie’s 291 votes and Nicole Speer’s 2,408 votes shifted to the top two candidates, with Brockett receiving 1,946 second-round votes and Yates receiving 561. It is notable that Mayor Brockett received an overwhelming majority of second-rank votes, meaning many Boulder voters preferred a different candidate, Tweedlie or Speer, but ranked the incumbent mayor as their second choice.

Round One

Aaron Brockett: 32.19%
Nicole Speer: 16.15%
Bob Yates: 49.71%
Paul Tweedlie: 1.95%

7:30 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: Boulder City’s mayor will be elected via rank-choice voting for the first time in local history. Four candidates are vying for the position including incumbent Aaron Brockett, Nicole Speer, Bob Yates and Paul Tweedlie.

Notably, Speer is part of the University of Colorado Boulder faculty and a member of United Campus Workers Colorado union. Brockett campaigned as the incumbent, holding a position on the City Council since 2015. Both Brockett and Speer are both endorsed by Boulder Progressives. Yates taught as a professor at the CU Law School and involved himself in local art and parks and recreation management. He has also served on the City Council since 2015. Tweedlie is a newcomer to local politics and a Boulder community member.

 

Boulder City Council

Terri Brncic: 13.84%
Jennifer Robins: 11.25%
Aaron Neyer: 2.46%
Jacques Decalo: 2.64%
Silas Atkin: 4.69%
Waylon Lewis: 7.34%
Ryan Schuchard: 11.52%
Tara Winer: 19.82%
Tina Marquis: 14.91%
Taishya Adams: 11.53%

7:40 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: Results released at 7:36 p.m. show Winer, Marquis, Brncic, Adams and Schuchard in the lead. Winer received the most votes so far at 10,418 and Schuchard currently has a narrow lead of 144 votes over Robins.

7:30 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: Ten candidates are competing for nine seats on the Boulder CIty Council. Candidates have focused on issues such as homelessness, affordable housing and climate initiatives. Taishya Adams, Silas Atkins, Terri Brncic, Jacques Decalo, Waylon Lewis, Tina Marquis, Aaron Neyer, Jennifer Robins, Ryan Schuchard and Tara Winer are all in the running.

Boulder Valley School District

District A

Jason Unger: 59.73%
Neil Fishman: 40.27%

District C

Andrew Steffl: 10.09%
Alex Medler: 62.17%
Cynthia Nevison: 27.74%

District D

Andrew Brandt: 40.83%
Lalenia Quinlan Aweida: 59.17%

District G

Anil Kiran Pesaramelli: 13.80%
Stuart Lord: 26.29%
Jorge Chávez: 59.91%

7:53 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: Lalenia Quinlan Aweida is leading in the race for RE-2 Director District D with 13,875 votes, 59.17% of the total vote count.

7:50 p.m. – Emme Clymer: As of 7:36 p.m. Jorge Chávez is leading in the race for Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District G with 14,035 votes, 59.91% of the total. There are a total of 23,428 votes.

7:46 p.m. – Emme Clymer: Jason Unger is leading the race for Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District A with 14,174 votes, or 59.73% of the total. As of 7:36 p.m. 23,729 total votes have been recorded.

7:45 p.m. – Gabriella Isukh: Alex Medler leads the race for RE-2 Director District C with 14,620 votes, or 62.17% of the total vote count. Cynthia Nevinson is in second place with 27.74% of the total vote.

7:30 p.m. – Ann Marie Vanderveen: The Boulder Valley School District Board of Education elects representatives from seven different areas in the community. Candidates include Neil Fishman and Jason Unger for District A, Alex Medler, Cynthia Nevison and Andrew Steffl for District C, Lalenia Quinlan Aweida and Andrew Brandt for District D and Jorge Chávez, Stuart Lord and Anil Pesaramelli for District G. Candidates have addressed student mental health, disparities in achievement and discipline and the previous removal of officers from schools.

 

County issues

This includes Ballot Issue 1A and 1B.

Ballot Issue 1A: Open space sales and use tax extension and revenue change

Pro: 78.08%

Against: 21.92%

7:41 p.m. – Celia Frazier: With voter turnout at around 41% according to Nov. 1 data of active, registered voters in Boulder County, the majority of voters have voted for Ballot Issue 1A. With 52,148 votes cast, 78.08% of votes are for Ballot Issue 1A, while only 21.92% voted against the issue.

7:30 p.m. – Celia Frazier: Ballot Issue 1A deals with the current county open space sales and use tax, which is 0.475%. Of that, 0.05% is set to expire in 2024. If Ballot Issue 1A passes, the sales tax will continue to be used to buy, maintain and manage open space lands.

Ballot Issue 1B: Affordable housing tax extension and revenue change

Pro: 68.13%

Against: 31.87%

7:41 p.m. – Celia Frazier: With voter turnout at around 41% according to Nov. 1 data of active, registered voters in Boulder County, the majority of voters have voted for Ballot Issue 1B. With 52,148 votes cast, 68.13% of votes are for Ballot Issue 1A, while only 31.87% voted against the issue.

7:30 p.m. – Celia Frazier: If passed, Ballot Issue 1B would extend a .185% sales and use tax and direct it to affordable housing efforts in the county.

State issues

This includes Proposition HH and II.

Proposition HH: Reduce property taxes and voter-approved revenue change

Pro: 39.62%

Against: 60.38% 

8:00 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Of the 982,150 state votes, the majority of which are opposing Proposition HH, Boulder County has voted 56.95% in favor of this Proposition and 43.05% against.

7:30 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Proposition HH, if passed, would reduce property tax rates and allow states to retain and spend property tax rates that would otherwise be refunded to residents under the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). A new, increased cap on state revenue would be created, some of which would be allocated to local governments.

7:30 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: The Colorado Secretary of State’s office released that Proposition HH has 123,487 votes, or 39.62%, in favor of the measure and 154,193 votes, or 60.38%, against the measure.

Proposition II: Funding retention rate reduction

Pro: 67.3%

Against: 32.7%

7:58 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: Proposition II has 641,300 votes, or 65.30%, in favor of the proposition. There are now 340,850 votes, or 34.48%, against the Proposition.

7:30 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: If passed, Proposition II would allow the retention of revenue that exceeds the state’s official projections. This revenue would come from increased taxes on cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine products, which voters endorsed in 2020 when Proposition EE was passed. This revenue would be reallocated to preschool programs.

7:30 p.m. – Lucy Adlen: The Colorado Secretary of State’s office released that Proposition II has 321,943 votes, or 67.42%, in favor of the Proposition and 155,574 votes, or 32.58%, against the Proposition.