City and County of Denver Referred Question 2I — Charter amendment: budget and appropriation process (two-year budget option) (Denver County)

What it does

Shall the Charter of the City and County of Denver be amended to adjust the City and County’s budget and appropriation process, and in connection therewith, allowing the City Council to adopt a two-year budget planning and adoption process and modernizing or repealing certain charter sections?

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

Official text: source

Background

This charter amendment ('Budget Together Denver') was brought by Councilmembers Sawyer, Gilmore and Lewis; their committee presentation proposed an optional two-year budget cycle, a required public input process, an earlier budget timeline, and steps to take when revenues fall short of projections.

According to the ballot information booklet's fiscal information, the amendment allows but does not require Council to adopt a two-year budget by ordinance and moves the Mayor's proposed budget release from September 15 to the first Friday in September; the city estimates about $50,000 in one-time costs to reconfigure budget systems.

City Council passed the bill 10–2 on July 20, 2026 (Councilmembers Alvidrez and Flynn voting no; Councilmember Parady absent), and the Mayor signed it July 22, 2026.

Put on the ballot by Denver City Council, 10–2 (1 absent), July 20, 2026 (Council Bill 26-0864).

From official source 1, official source 2, official source 3, official source 4.

Next elections here

• Denver election 2027 · April 6, 2027: Mayor, Auditor, Clerk and Recorder, and all 13 City Council seats
• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Denver County ballots

• City and County of Denver Referred Question 2H — Charter amendment: Auditor enforcement of wage and worker-protection laws
• City and County of Denver Referred Question 2J — Charter amendment: Civil Service Commission and Department of Safety
• City and County of Denver Referred Question 2K — Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado) 20-year franchise
• City and County of Denver Initiated Ordinance 311 — Ban on force-feeding birds and sale of force-fed products (foie gras)

All Denver County races and measures →

Quick answers

How many votes does City and County of Denver Referred Question 2I need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on City and County of Denver Referred Question 2I?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.