Pueblo 2024 mayoral runoff Election Day live coverage and results

Graham’s win confirmed in final unofficial results

The city of Pueblo released a second and final batch of results late Tuesday night that cemented Heather Graham’s victory in the mayoral runoff race.

The latest batch of unofficial results, posted by the city just before 11:15 p.m., showed a total of 15,632 votes for Graham, compared to 9,427 for Gradisar. Graham secured 62.4% of the vote compared to 37.6% for Gradisar.

A total of 25,059 votes were counted and all ballots received at this time have been processed, according to city spokesperson Haley Sue Robinson.

-Zach Hillstrom

'The people of Pueblo have spoken': Graham basks in her victory

The atmosphere remains euphoric at Brues Alehouse as Graham’s supporters bask in the glory of her overwhelming win.

Graham, after proclaiming victory, took the stage to address the crowd, thanking them for their support.

She said that the initial results show that the “people of Pueblo have spoken.”

“I feel relieved to know that the city of Pueblo will now move in a different direction,” Graham told the Chieftain.

Several other elected leaders celebrated with Graham after her victory, including county commissioners Eppie Griego and Zach Swearingen.

Griego, who gave Graham a fist bump and hug shortly after results were announced, said she will be a “good all-around mayor.”

“It’s great — moving the city of Pueblo forward in collaboration with the county,” Swearingen said. “I think it’s a good sign of people really wanting to see some change and the potential here fulfilled.”

-Josué Perez

Gradisar 'obviously disappointed' with loss, but congratulates Graham

Supporters gave Gradisar a standing ovation after he announced he would be conceding the mayoral race to Graham Tuesday night. But many stayed on their feet and left Zaragoza Event Hall soon after he was done speaking.

The cautiously optimistic mood earlier in the evening gave way to a solemn atmosphere as soon as the city posted the first batch of unofficial results. A few people present, including Gradisar's partner, broke into tears after seeing that Gradisar was down by nearly 6,000 votes with over 22,500 counted in the first batch of unofficial results.

He said that he was "obviously disappointed" with the result, but congratulated Graham on her victory. Gradisar thanked his supporters for helping him on the campaign trail and joked that he was looking forward to being a "has been."

Gradisar told the Chieftain he isn't planning on going back to practicing law, which was his pre-mayoral career. But he has some other projects he could work on in retirement, such as remodeling.

He told reporters that his biggest piece of advice for Graham is to assemble a solid leadership team. He called Graham to concede the race soon after speaking with reporters.

- Anna Lynn Winfrey

'I won the election!': Heather Graham will be Pueblo's new mayor

The first batch of results are in, and Heather Graham will be the new mayor of Pueblo.

The city's first round of results showed Graham with 14,171 votes compared to 8,355 for Gradisar. That gives the city council president 62.9% of the votes counted so far, compared to just 37.1% for Gradisar.

Graham, after seeing the initial batch of results, told the crowd at Brues Alehouse, “I won the election!”

Thunderous applause ensued.

Gradisar told the Chieftain he would be calling Graham to concede the race.

A total of 22,526 votes were recorded in the first batch of results.

-Zach Hillstrom

Gradisar and team awaiting results at Zaragoza Hall

Incumbent Mayor Nick Gradisar is gathering with supporters and his campaign team at Zaragoza Event Hall, or "The Bessemer Country Club."

Although no results have been posted as of 7:10 p.m., the joyous disco hit "Celebration" was playing on the speakers.

Gradisar told the Chieftain shortly before 7 p.m. that he's "feeling good" but is waiting to see the results come in.

He said that waiting for election results to arrive reminded him of his time as an attorney, waiting for the jury to decide.

But instead of a jury of 12, it'll be a jury with tens of thousands of Puebloans that will decide if they want him to keep leading the city for the next four years.

"I think we've got a record that I'm proud of in the city of Pueblo," Gradisar said. "I'd like to continue it, but if the voters make a different decision, then they make a different decision."

Before his party started, Gradisar attended a pro-abortion event for the launch of a statewide petition gathering campaign at Blo-Back Gallery.

- Anna Lynn Winfrey

Graham hosting watch party at Brue's Alehouse

Dozens of Puebloans are packed inside Brues Alehouse to support Heather Graham’s mayoral bid. Tonight has been a long time coming for Graham — 14 months to be exact.“I feel good, the energy’s good,” Graham said. “I think people are showing up to make change.”

-Josué Perez

Where and when Pueblo runoff election results will be posted

In an email Tuesday afternoon, city spokesperson Haley Sue Robinson provided additional details about the results of the runoff election.

Robinson said that all unofficial results will be posted on the city's website, pueblo.us, and can be seen on the homepage via a banner at the top of the page that says "Unofficial Election Report."

Robinson said the city is expecting the first round of results after 7:30 p.m., with "additional updates to follow."

In addition to the city's website, the results will be posted on its social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and X, which was formerly known as Twitter.

Robinson noted that all elections results "are considered unofficial until the canvas is held on February 1 when the election results are officially certified."

The Chieftain will also be publishing those results on this liveblog as they come in Tuesday night.

-Zach Hillstrom

What's at stake in today's election

Election Day has arrived once again in Pueblo.

From a crowded field of nine mayoral candidates in the municipal election in November, incumbent Mayor Nick Gradisar and Pueblo City Council President Heather Graham came out on top to go head-to-head in today’s runoff.

Pueblo’s city charter necessitates a runoff election if one mayoral candidate does not receive more than 50% of votes.

Graham and Gradisar were the top vote-getters in November, with Graham receiving nearly 23% of votes compared to nearly 21% for Gradisar. The city council president bested the incumbent mayor by 486 votes.

This is Pueblo’s second mayoral race in recent memory after voters opted to change the city charter and move to a strong-mayor system in 2017. Pueblo previously had a city council/city manager form of government and held its first mayoral election in 2018.

Gradisar, who led the charge to establish a mayoral form of government in the city via ballot measure in 2017, emerged as one of the top two vote-getters for the mayor's office in the 2018 municipal election. He was eventually elected mayor in a similar runoff against Steve Nawrocki in January 2019.

The runoff is being administered by the Pueblo City Clerk's Office, as the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder's Office is busy preparing for the presidential primaries. The election is an all-mail election this year, so there is no in-person voting.

It's too late now to send your ballot in the mail, but if you haven't voted yet, there's still time. Just drop your ballot off at one of these drop boxes by 7 p.m. today at the latest.

So who will be Pueblo’s mayor for the next four years? Chieftain reporters will be following the race throughout the day and providing live updates and results throughout the evening.

Make sure to check back periodically at this live blog, especially after ballot drop boxes close at 7 p.m., for updates.

-Zach Hillstrom

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo 2024 election results and live updates for mayoral runoff