Holiday lights map 2023

Dec. 9—Several weeks after Election Day, Boulder County has released detailed precinct-by-precinct results showing how Boulderites voted in different neighborhoods on this year's ballot measures, City Council and mayoral candidates.

The 2023 election data tells a nuanced story, and it's difficult to make sweeping generalizations about what the results might mean. The two ballot measures with the strongest support, Ballot Issue 2A and Ballot Question 2B, were relatively uncontroversial: Measure 2A was an extension of an existing 0.15% sales and use tax to generate funding for the arts as well as the city's general fund, and 2B entailed minor tweaks to the city charter.

Ballot Question 302, Safe Zones 4 Kids, sparked more intense debate in the community. The citizen-initiated ballot measure, which asked voters whether the city should prioritize removal of tents, propane tanks and other items near schools, sidewalks and paths throughout the city, passed by a nearly 22-point margin — 60.96% for, 39.04% against. However, the City Council and mayor candidates who strongly supported Safe Zones 4 Kids — including Terri Brncic, one of the parents who helped get the measure on the ballot — lost their races to more progressive candidates.

Safe Zones was seen by many in the community as a referendum on visible homelessness since it specifically targeted the removal of encampments, propane tanks and other items associated with unhoused populations. Safe Zones proponents have insisted that the ballot measure was about kids' safety and not about homelessness, but critics remained unconvinced.

Support for Safe Zones followed an interesting pattern in the city. In the area near downtown, which has a high concentration of unhoused individuals compared to elsewhere in the city, a majority of voters did vote in favor of Safe Zones, but only by a 13-point margin. Areas further away from downtown showed stronger support for the measure.

To look at these and other trends in more detail, the Daily Camera analyzed precinct-by-precinct data from this year's election and tallied the results to look at trends in different parts of Boulder. Neighborhoods were loosely grouped into six regions based on their location in town. results for each region are listed below along with data on active voters, ballots received and turnout.

University of Colorado Boulder Campus and University Hill

This region includes the CU Boulder campus precinct and the University Hill neighborhood. This area had by far the lowest turnout of any of the regions analyzed.

Ballot Issue 2A (City Sales and Use Tax Extension): 800 (76.34%) for, 248 (23.66%) against

Ballot Question 2B (Elections Administrative Charter Cleanup): 789 (83.49%) for, 156 (16.51%) against

Ballot Question 302 (Safe Zones 4 Kids): 660 (62.26%) for, 400 (37.74%) against

Top four City Council candidates: Tara Winer (52.15%), Tina Marquis (41.28%), Terri Brncic (40.37%), Taishya Adams (38.81%)

Mayoral race: 530 (51.66%) for Aaron Brockett, 496 (48.34%) for Bob Yates

Voter stats: 3,840 active voters; 1,095 ballots received; 28.52% overall turnout

Downtown Boulder

The downtown, Goss Grove and Whittier neighborhoods make up the downtown Boulder region. Progressive council candidates Adams and Schuchard performed relatively well. This area also showed the smallest margin of support for Ballot Question 302 (Safe Zones 4 Kids) of any region.

Ballot Issue 2A: 1,105 (78.54%) for, 302 (21.46%) against

Ballot Question 2B: 1,114 (87.99%) for, 152 (12.01%) against

Ballot Question 302: 800 (56.78%) for, 609 (43.22%) against

Top four City Council candidates: Winer (56.17%), Adams (45%), Ryan Schuchard (43.56%), Brncic (40.59%)

Mayoral race: 771 (56.52%) for Brockett, 593 (43.48%) for Yates

Voter stats: 3,570 active voters; 1,451 ballots received; 40.64% overall turnout

East Boulder

This area includes precincts and neighborhoods to the north and east of U.S. 36/28th Street and south of Jay Road. This area saw progressive council candidates earning high proportions of the vote. Voters here also preferred Brockett over Yates for mayor by a 15-point margin.

Ballot Issue 2A: 7,023 (75.77%) for, 2,246 (24.23%) against

Ballot Question 2B: 7,315 (86.25%) for, 1,166 (13.75%) against

Ballot Question 302: 5,384 (58.34%) for, 3,845 (41.66%) against

Top four City Council candidates: Winer (57.5%), Adams (47.21%), Schuchard (44.33%), Marquis (38.64%)

Mayoral race: 5,148 (57.63%) for Brockett, 3,785 (42.37%) for Yates

Voter stats: 20,881 active voters; 9,541 ballots received; 45.69% overall turnout

Gunbarrel and Area III Planning Reserve

This northernmost region of the city includes the Area III Planning Reserve precinct and Gunbarrel neighborhood. This area has fewer active voters than any other region analyzed, and it had the second lowest turnout of any region. However, this region showed the highest level of support for Safe Zones 4 Kids.

Ballot Issue 2A: 700 (73.68%) for, 250 (26.32%) against

Ballot Question 2B: 734 (82.94%) for, 151 (17.06%) against

Ballot Question 302: 637 (67.34%) for, 309 (32.66%) against

Top four City Council candidates: Winer (56.01%), Adams (41.52%), Jenny Robins (41.11%), Schuchard (40.18%)

Mayoral race: 489 (53.97%) for Brockett, 417 (46.03%) for Yates

Voter stats: 2,694 active voters; 973 ballots received; 36.12% overall turnout

North Boulder

This region encompasses the neighborhoods west of 28th Street and north of downtown and the CU Boulder/University Hill region. The area had the second highest voter turnout of any region, and more conservative council candidates such as Marquis and Brncic fared well here. North Boulder was also the only region in which Yates (a former registered Republican) received a majority of votes for mayor.

Ballot Issue 2A: 8,894 (74.38%) for, 3,064 (25.62%) against

Ballot Question 2B: 9,373 (86.49%) for, 1,464 (13.51%) against

Ballot Question 302: 7,572 (63.44%) for, 4,364 (36.56%) against

Top four City Council candidates: Winer (65.94%), Marquis (48.71%), Brncic (47.09%), Schuchard (40.62%)

Mayoral race: 6,173 (52.43%) for Yates, 5,601 (47.57%) for Brockett

Voter stats: 21,460 active voters; 12,274 ballots received; 57.19% overall turnout

South Boulder

This region includes the neighborhoods south of the CU Boulder/University Hill area and southwest of U.S. 36. South Boulder boasted the highest voter turnout of all regions analyzed.

Ballot Issue 2A: 6,288 (72.69%) for, 2,363 (27.31%) against

Ballot Question 2B: 6,812 (86.49%) for, 1,064 (13.51%) against

Ballot Question 302: 5,208 (60.18%) for, 3,446 (39.82%) against

Top four City Council candidates: Winer (64.44%), Marquis (44.46%), Adams (42.56%), Schuchard (42.03%)

Mayoral race: 4,284 (50.93%) for Brockett, 4,128 (49.07%) for Yates

Voter stats: 15,222 active voters; 8,915 ballots received; 58.57% overall turnout

A full breakdown of results by precinct can be found at bit.ly/3RBfQlU, and a precinct map is available at bit.ly/3TnnMZj.