Golden Election 2018 Results: Story, Danielson, Perlmutter

GOLDEN, CO – UPDATED Coloradans woke up to a Blue Wave in the state with all four state officers –governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general – appearing to be elected Democrats, as well as Democratic majorities in all three state levels of government.

In Golden, voters shot down a ballot measure to extend the vote on city elections to 16-year-olds.

Jefferson County voters approved a measure (5A) for a mill-levy increase to raise $33 million for Jeffco School District's operations and salaries. Ballot meaure 5B, raising $567 million in capital bonds for school construction and repair remains too close to call, with 145,584 voters (or 50.02) percent voting no and 145,452 (or 49.08 percent) voting yes.

Mechanical glitches in four counties prevented statewide complete vote totals, until mid-morning Wednesday.

Republican attorney general candidate George Brauchler finally conceded Wednesday morning. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Democrat Phil Weiser was up by 41,644 votes and had received 951,332 votes, or 49.67 percent of the tallied vote to Brauchler's 909,688 votes (47.49 percent). Libertarian candidate William Robinson won 54,474 votes, or 2.84 percent.

Democrat Phil Weiser declared unilateral victory. A first-time candidate and former Dean of CU's law school and a former member of presidents Obama and Clinton's Department of Justice teams, Weiser has said he would focus on the national role attorneys general play in U.S. policy.

Republican treasurer candidate businessman Brian Watson also conceded. He was clearly behind top vote-getter Greeley state legislator and college instructor Democrat David Young who had 909,688 votes, or 50.56 percent of the vote. Watson's total Wednesday morning was 892,058, or 46.88 percent. Action Party candidate Gerald F. Kilpatrick won 48,581, or 2.84 percent.

Polis declares early

Democrat multi-millionaire Congressman Jared Polis was first to declare victory, in the Colorado Governor's race, by 8 p.m. Polis was ahead in early returns with 51.34 percent of the vote.

By Wednesday morning, with 100 percent of counties reporting, Polis had gained 998,916 votes, or 51.58 percent of the vote. Republican Walker Stapleton was the second top vote-getter with 870,844 votes, or 44.97 percent. Libertarian Scott Helker and Unity Party's Bill Hammons received 48,188 2.49 percent) and 18,499 (0.96 percent) votes respectively.

"In Colorado, we dare, we dream and we do," Polis said in his victory speech. "Whether it's embracing big ideas or hiking our amazing mountains, we don't back down when something is challenging. We see problems as opportunities in our state of Colorado."

Polis will be the first Jewish governor of Colorado and the first openly gay governor in the United States. His partner, Marlon Reis, and their two children joined Polis on stage.

The race was financially lopsided from the beginning, with Polis dumping $23 million of his own funds into what was to become a total of $200 million spent on the election. Polis refused any individual donation above $100 and has brought in only about half-a-million from individual donations. Stapleton’s campaign spent about $4 million, as of the most recent campaign finance disclosures. The two-term treasurer dumped about $1 million of his own cash into the race during the Republican primary race.

Colorado State Ballot Initiatives

Voters rejected many ballot initiatives from mandatory setbacks for oil and gas drilling (Proposition 112) to education funding (Amendment 73) to competing proposals for transportation infrastructure.

See how electors voted here:

Related: Election 2018 Results: Ballot Measures For Colorado

Related: Proposition 112 Rejected By Voters

Other statewide races

Secretary of State

Democrat voting rights attorney and first-time candidate Jena Griswold declared victory over incumbent Republican Wayne Williams for Secretary of State. With 32 percent of counties reporting, Williams conceded the race around 9:40 p.m.

Wednesday morning, Griswold had gained 974,233 votes, or 50.87 percent to Williams's 896,366 votes, or 46.80 percent. Third-party candidates Amanda Campbell and Blake Huber won 35,875 votes (1.87 percent) and 8,732 votes (0.46 percent), respectively.

GOLDEN RACES:

7th Congressional District

Incumbent Congressman Ed Perlmutter was easily the top vote-getter in final returns with 150,385, or 59.70 percent of the final vote. Republican small business owner Mark Barrington won 92,630 or 36.77 percent of the vote, while Libertarian Jennifer Nackerud won 8,904 or 3.53 percent.

Perlmutter flirted with running for governor, but, facing Polis’s millions, pulled out of the race then almost quit politics altogether, but ended up running for re-election for the 7th District seat he’s represented since 2007. Perlmutter’s family suffered losses this year when his nephew was killed by a train in Louisville and the family patriarch Len Perlmutter died at 92 in July.

State Sen. Dist. 16

In State Sen. Dist. 16, Tammy Story beat incumbent Republican Tim Neville. Story had a wide lead with 35,061 votes or 55.34 percent of the vote. Neville had received 26,668 votes, or 42.09 percent. Libertarian James Gillman won 1,629 or 2.57 percent of the votes.

Story, an education reformer and mother from Conifer, helped recall three members on the Jefferson County school board after a divisive debate over conservative school policies.

State Sen. Dist. 20 (Open)

Democrat State Rep. Jessie Danielson gained a significant win over Arvada mortgage broker Republican Christine Jensen. By Wednesday morning, Danielson had 37,057 votes, or 53.79 percent, while Jensen had 29,806 votes, or 43.26 percent. Libertarian Charles Messick won 2,032, or 2.95 percent of the votes.

Danielson jumped into the state senate race after incumbent Democrat Cheri Jahn, who served since 2010, was term-limited out.

State House Dist.23

Incumbent Democrat Chris Kennedy won re-election, gaining 17,882 votes, or 61.75 percent against Republican Joan Poston, who won 11,075 votes, or 38.25 percent.

State House Dist. 24 (Open)

Wheat Ridge city council member, Democrat Monica Duran was the top vote-getter with 18,734 votes, or 62.43 percent, beating JeffCo Republican Arthur Erwin, who received 11,274 votes (37.57 percent). Duran ran for the seat in House District 24 after Rep. Jessie Danielson jumped into the race for State Senate District 20.

State House Dist. 25 (Open)

Democrat and professional publicist Lisa A Cutter won in Dist. 25, receiving a total of 20,016 votes (52.51 percent) against Republican pinch-hitter Steve Szutenbach, of Evergreen, who got 18,100 votes, or 47.49 percent.

Other Golden and regional ballot initiatives

NO - Ballot Question 2E- Allows 16-year-olds to vote in City of Golden elections.

YES - Jefferson County School District R-1 Ballot Issue 5A asks voters to approve a $33 million mill-levy increase proposal to cover operating expenses, including salaries for teachers and counselors.
NO - with recount likely - Jefferson County School District R-1 Ballot Issue 5B asks voters to approve a capital improvement bond measure for $567 million
YES - URBAN DRAINAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT BALLOT ISSUE 7G

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