Mayor Mike Johnston’s budget cuts are a ‘threat to democracy,’ Denver clerk and recorder says

Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul López accused Mayor Mike Johnston of “threatening election integrity in the city.”

On Monday, the mayor presented the first draft of his 2026 budget, one that he said cut most agencies “to the bone” while protecting core city services.

But López says elections was not protected. Johnston declined to give an extra $4.5 million to the Office of the Clerk and Recorder in his proposed 2026 budget — money López said was desperately needed to run the 2026 midterm elections securely. Without the funding, the city would cut polling centers and voter drop boxes.

“Mayor Johnston has said these cuts will not cut critical services,” López said. “However, that is just not true. These cuts will absolutely cut the voters’ access to the ballot box and our polling centers.