Mejía leads Martinez by 40 points in Denver council special election

Melissa Adriana Mejía has secured a commanding lead in the race for a Denver City Council at-large seat. The Denver Clerk and Recorder reported a 40 percentage point gap between Mejía and her closest rival as of 10 p.m. on November 13. This margin places her well ahead of the field of ten candidates who sought to fill the vacancy.

The open position resulted from Councilwoman Sarah Parady stepping away in August due to health issues. Parady had initially taken the role in 2023 but resigned three years into her four-year term. Mejía will now hold the seat until the next general election in 2027, where she must seek re-election. The city council consists of 13 members, and this is one of two at-large positions.

Monica Martinez, a nonprofit executive, raised the most funds during the campaign. She collected approximately $208,000 in fair election funds, along with around $150,000 in other fundraising and personal expenditures. Mejía, a single mother and former member of Denver’s planning board, raised less than half that amount. She secured $79,000 in public money and $50,000 in additional funds. Despite the spending disparity, Mejía emerged as the preferred candidate for voters.

The campaign featured distinct financial and political profiles for the top two contenders. Martinez received endorsements from former mayors Michael Hancock and Wellington Webb, as well as three sitting council members: Jamie Torres, Amanda Sandoval, and Darrel Watson. The Denver Post reported that many individual donations to Martinez came from real estate developers and lawyers. Candidate Jake Browne noted at a panel on October 19 that Martinez had 47 CEOs and executives backing her, a number greater than all other candidates combined.

Mejía garnered support from Melat Kiros, the Democratic Socialist who won Colorado’s District 1 Congress seat. Browne, who dropped out of the race a week before voting began, also endorsed Mejía. In a social media video following the results, Mejía stated that the effort involved many people. She explained that her goal was to place a progressive in the seat who understands social housing and labor protections while standing up to corporate interests.

The winner will assume a full-time salaried position with an annual pay of approximately $110,000. The new councilwoman faces immediate tasks including 2027 budget preparations and responses to demand for affordable housing. During her campaign, Mejía emphasized sustainable housing, improved sidewalk infrastructure, and expanded bike lanes. The election concluded a short process that saw numerous candidates compete for the single open seat.