Big Ballot Questions, Steady Returns Except In Denver

The latest figures from the Colorado Secretary of State show that voters in counties with big ballot measures are mailing in their returns in high numbers despite this relatively quiet off-year election. The exception: The City and County of Denver.

In Douglas County, where there is a divisive school board race, 32 percent of people had voted as of Monday afternoon. In Western Slope's Mesa County, that number was 39 percent, where there are two big asks for tax increases for schools and public safety. In El Paso County, city officials are asking voters for money to fund storm water drainage and 29 percent of voters had turned in ballots.

But turnout is much lower in Denver, where voters are being asked to fund the largest bond in history -- nearly $1 billion for 460 projects including road repairs, Denver Health and Hospital and parks. Only 18 percent of the city's residents through Monday had turned in a mail ballot.

Alton Dillard from Denver Elections says this is not uncommon for voters of the state's largest city to procrastinate.

"We're not getting nervous yet about turnout because of past behavior showing that Denver voters have a tendency to kick it into gear on Monday and Tuesday," Dillard said. "But it's definitely too late to mail a ballot."

Dillard also worries about weather forecasts on Tuesday for those last-minute people. It is supposed to snow.