First Friday Breakfast 

Denver Elections: Has the City Reached an Inflection Point?

Denver elections are coming up, with ballots due by May 7. Denver residents will elect the Mayor, all 13 City Council seats, the Clerk & Recorder, and the Auditor. Residents will also vote on ballot initiatives about the decriminalization of psilocybin mushrooms and reversing the camping ordinance that bans tarps, sleeping bags and tents in public spaces.

While these issues and races will be interesting and contentious, a larger and more enduring question is: What does the election mean for Denver going forward?

After nearly a decade of a booming economy and growing city, has the balance of development versus quality of life changed?  

Are high housing costs, gentrification, increased traffic and other issues changing the city’s key conversations?

How do these elections, and candidates, reflect a changing city that is grappling with these complex demands of growth?

How does the conversation change if and/or when the city hits a recession, and unemployment and lack of growth become problems again?

These are just some of the questions we’ll explore. Please join our expert panel in these conversations.

Moderator:

• Nolbert Chavez, Director of CU Denver CityCenter

Panelists:

• Patty Calhoun, Editor of Westword
• Andrew Kenney, Reporter for The Denver Post
• Other panelists to be announced soon.