A voting center in Westwood aims at one of Denver's widest turnout gaps

Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul López's office and Re:Vision, a Southwest Denver nonprofit that works on food access, have brought a voting center to Westwood for this election, Denver7 reported. The center operates at Re:Vision's facility, alongside nearby drop boxes, a mobile voting unit and voter education in English and Spanish.

Why it matters: turnout in Denver varies sharply by neighborhood. In the 2024 general election, ballot return rates were about 85% in Washington Park, Belcaro and Cherry Creek and about 54% in Westwood, according to the Denver7 report. Neighborhoods that vote less have less say in who sits on the City Council, including in today's citywide race for the open at-large seat.

What officials have said

López told Denver7 the goal is to narrow that gap. "We have an opportunity to reduce that inequity," he said, and he urged residents to vote "in every single election, not just about the president."

He also named other areas with low turnout: Globeville, Elyria and Swansea, and parts of the city south of 17th Avenue and on the West Side, where he said no precinct tops 50% until about Dartmouth Avenue. López linked the turnout gaps to differences in access to city services, grocery stores, street trees and parks, according to the report.

The effort builds on earlier work. Rocky Mountain PBS reported in 2024 that Re:Vision ran home visits, a ballot education event and a mobile voting center in the neighborhood, working with the clerk's office, and that Westwood's return rate that year was about 54% against 77% citywide.

Where this election stands

Citywide, Denver voters had returned 159,191 ballots through Sunday, about 34% of the more than 467,000 mailed, state figures show. Our Election Day story has the details. The state's daily reports give county totals only, not neighborhood figures, so it is not yet possible to say how Westwood is doing this year. Precinct-level turnout comes later.

What our records add

Who represents Westwood. Westwood is in Council District 3, represented by Council member Jamie Torres. The at-large winner will represent the whole city, including Westwood, alongside Torres and at-large member Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez.

The Council and the clerk's budget. Last fall, the Council voted 13-0 for an amendment adding money to the Clerk and Recorder's office in the 2026 budget, 25-1782, after a dispute over election funding, Denverite reported. None of the amendments the Council took up Monday night for the 2027 budget concerned the elections office (meeting).

A coming neighborhood project. At an Oct. 6 Mayor-Council briefing on bond-funded projects, a city presenter said the new Westwood Recreation Center is expected to open next year (video).

How to vote today

• Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. today, Tuesday, Nov. 3. It is too late to mail one.
• Sign the envelope. Election officials have said an unsigned ballot cannot be counted.
• Voter service and polling centers, including the one in Westwood, and drop boxes are listed by the Denver Elections Division. Centers are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Denver7 reported. Colorado allows same-day registration at a center.

What's next

Unofficial results start posting after 7 p.m. on the state's election night reporting site. When the city publishes precinct-level results after the count, they will show whether Westwood's turnout moved. Certification is tentatively set for Nov. 24.