Editing Denver (section)

==Government==
{{Main|Government of Denver}}
[[File:Denver City Council building. View from south-east.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Denver City and County Building]]]]
[[File:Colorado Supreme Court.jpg|alt=|thumb|Colorado Supreme Court, just before completion]]
[[File:Coloradocapitolhill2.JPG|thumb|[[Colorado State Capitol]] looking east]]

Denver is a [[consolidated city-county]] with a mayor elected on a [[Non-partisan democracy|nonpartisan]] ballot, a 13-member [[city council]], and an [[auditor]]. The [[Denver City Council]] is elected from 11 districts with two at-large council members and is responsible for passing and changing all laws, resolutions, and ordinances, usually after a public hearing. The city council can also call for misconduct investigations of Denver's departmental officials. All elected officials have four-year terms, with a maximum of three terms. The current mayor is [[Mike Johnston (Colorado politician)|Mike Johnston]].

Denver has a strong mayor/weak city council government. The mayor can approve or veto any ordinances or [[resolution (law)|resolution]]s approved by the council, makes sure all contracts with the city are kept and performed, signs all bonds and contracts, is responsible for the city budget, and can appoint people to various city departments, organizations, and commissions. The council can override the mayor's veto with a nine votes. The city budget must be approved and can be changed by a simple majority vote of the council. The auditor checks all expenditures and may refuse to allow specific ones, usually for financial reasons.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Our City Government Works |url=https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/city-of-denver-home/government/city-overview.html |date=2016 |publisher=City and County of Denver |access-date=February 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707133025/http://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/city-of-denver-home/government/city-overview.html |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Denver Department of Safety oversees three branches: the [[Denver Police Department]], [[Denver Fire Department]], and [[Denver Sheriff Department]]. The Denver County Court is an integrated [[Colorado County Courts|Colorado County Court]] and Municipal Court and is managed by Denver instead of the state.

===Politics===
While Denver elections are nonpartisan, [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] have long dominated the city's politics; most citywide officials are known to be registered with the Democratic Party. The mayor's office has been occupied by a Democrat since the 1963 municipal election. All the city's seats in the state legislature are held by Democrats.

In statewide elections, the city also tends to favor Democrats, though Republicans were occasionally competitive until the turn of the millennium. The last Republican to win Denver in a gubernatorial election was [[John A. Love]] in [[1970 Colorado gubernatorial election|1970]] by a narrow majority.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1970&off=5&elect=0&fips=8&f=0|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|publisher=US Election Atlas |access-date=September 27, 2020}}</ref> [[Bill Owens (Colorado politician)|Bill Owens]] in [[2002 Colorado gubernatorial election|2002]] remains the last Republican governor to receive at least 40% of Denver's vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2002&off=5&elect=0&fips=8&f=0|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|publisher=US Election Atlas |access-date=September 27, 2020}}</ref> The last Republican Senator to carry Denver was [[William L. Armstrong]] during his [[1984 United States Senate election in Colorado|1984 landslide]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1984&off=3&class=undefined&elect=0&fips=8&f=0|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|publisher=US Election Atlas |access-date=September 27, 2020}}</ref> The last statewide Republican officeholder to carry Denver was [[Secretary of State of Colorado|Secretary of State]] [[Victoria Buckley]] in 1994 by 1.2% margin; she was, at the time, the highest ranking African-American Republican woman in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1994 Secretary of State General Election Results - Colorado|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=8&year=1994&f=0&off=7&elect=0|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816113127/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=8&year=1994&f=0&off=7&elect=0 |archive-date=August 16, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jul-17-mn-56815-story.html |title=Victoria Buckley; Colorado Secretary of State, GOP Star |work=Los Angeles Times |last=Woo |first=Elaine |date=July 17, 1999 |access-date=August 23, 2021 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623060240/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jul-17-mn-56815-story.html |archive-date=June 23, 2020 }}</ref>

In federal elections, Denver is a Democratic stronghold. It has supported a Democrat for president in every election since [[1984 United States presidential election|1984]]. Despite then-president [[Ronald Reagan]]'s landslide that year both nationally and in [[1984 United States presidential election in Colorado|Colorado]], Democrat [[Walter Mondale]] won Denver by a margin of 2.32%, and since then the party has increased its margin in almost every election. At the federal level, Denver is the heart of {{ushr|CO|1}}, which includes all of Denver and parts of [[Arapahoe County, Colorado|Arapahoe County]]. It is the most Democratic district in the Mountain West and has been in Democratic hands for all but two terms since 1933. It is currently represented by Democrat [[Diana DeGette]]. A portion of southeast Denver, roughly half of the Indian Creek neighborhood and a small part of the Virginia Village neighborhood, is in {{ushr|CO|6}}, represented by Democrat [[Jason Crow]].

[[Benjamin F. Stapleton]] was the mayor of Denver for two periods, from 1923 to 1931 and from 1935 to 1947. He was responsible for many civic improvements, notably during his second term, when he had access to funds and manpower from the [[New Deal]]. During this time, the park system was considerably expanded and the Civic Center completed. His signature project was the construction of Denver Municipal Airport, which began in 1929 amid heavy criticism. It was later renamed [[Stapleton International Airport]] in his honor. Today, the airport has been replaced by a neighborhood initially named Stapleton. In 2020, during the [[George Floyd protests]], because of Stapleton's demonstrated racism and prominent membership in the [[Ku Klux Klan]], neighborhood residents [[List of name changes due to the George Floyd protests|changed the name]] to Central Park.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Change the Name Information - Central Park United Neighbors |url=https://sites.google.com/site/sunwebsite1/Home/change-the-name-information |date=2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801202117/https://sites.google.com/site/sunwebsite1/Home/change-the-name-information |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |url-status=live |website=Central Park United Neighbors |access-date=December 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/08/01/stapleton-neighborhood-central-park/|title=Stapleton Neighborhood is Now Central Park After Final Vote|date=August 2020}}</ref>

During the 1960s and 1970s, Denver was one of the centers of the [[Chicano Movement]]. The boxer-turned-activist [[Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales]] formed an organization called the Crusade for Justice, which battled police brutality, fought for bilingual education, and, most notably, hosted the First National [[Chicano Youth Liberation Conference]] in March 1969.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chicanomoratorium.org/html/history_timeline.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515043644/http://chicanomoratorium.org/html/history_timeline.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 15, 2011 |title=History Timeline |publisher=Chicanomoratorium.org |access-date=September 15, 2013 }}</ref>

In recent years, Denver has taken a stance on helping people who are or become [[Homelessness|homeless]], particularly under the administrations of mayors [[John Hickenlooper]] and [[Wellington Webb]]. At a rate of 19 homeless per 10,000 residents in 2011 as compared to 50 or more per 10,000 residents for the four metro areas with the highest rate of homelessness,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.endhomelessness.org/page/-/files/4361_file_Appendix_One.pdf |title=Homelessness in Large Metro Areas |publisher=Endhomelessness.org |access-date=December 31, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115013843/http://www.endhomelessness.org/page/-/files/4361_file_Appendix_One.pdf |archive-date=January 15, 2016 }}</ref> Denver's homeless population and rate of homeless are both considerably lower than many other major cities. But residents of the city streets suffer Denver winters – which, although mild and dry much of the time, can have brief periods of extremely cold temperatures and snow.

In 2005, Denver became the first major U.S. city to vote to make the private possession of less than an ounce of [[cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] legal for adults 21 and older.<ref name="DenverPot">{{Cite web |last=O'Driscoll |first=Patrick |date=2005-03-11 |title=Denver votes to legalize marijuana possession |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-11-03-pot_x.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521002204/http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-11-03-pot_x.htm |archive-date=2012-05-21 |access-date=2024-10-09 |website= |publisher=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> The city voted 53.5 percent in favor of the [[marijuana legalization]] measure, which, as then-mayor John Hickenlooper pointed out, was without effect, because the city cannot usurp state law, which at that time treated marijuana possession in much the same way as a speeding ticket, with fines of up to $100 and no jail time.<ref name="DenverPot" /> Denver passed an initiative in the fourth quarter of 2007 requiring the mayor to appoint an 11-member review panel to monitor the city's compliance with the 2005 ordinance.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/12/denver-setting-panel-review-marijuana-cases/|title=Denver setting up panel to review marijuana cases|access-date=December 16, 2007|newspaper=Daily Camera|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071215181015/http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2007/nov/12/denver-setting-panel-review-marijuana-cases/ |archive-date = December 15, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> In May 2019, Denver became the first U.S. city to [[Decriminalization|decriminalize]] [[psilocybin mushrooms]] after an initiative passed with 50.6% of the vote. The measure prohibits Denver from using any resources to prosecute adults over 21 for personal use of psilocybin mushrooms, though such use remains illegal under state and federal law.<ref>{{cite web |title=Denver, Colorado, Initiated Ordinance 301, Psilocybin Mushroom Initiative (May 2019) |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Denver,_Colorado,_Initiated_Ordinance_301,_Psilocybin_Mushroom_Initiative_(May_2019) |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=May 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5585635/denver-magic-mushrooms-vote/|title=Denver Approves Decriminalizing Psilocybin Mushrooms in Unofficial Results, as Public Support for Psychedelic Drug Research Grows|magazine=Time|language=en|access-date=May 9, 2019}}</ref>

Denver hosted the [[2008 Democratic National Convention]], which was the centennial of the city's first hosting of the landmark 1908 convention. It also hosted the [[G8|G7]] summit between June 20 and 22 in 1997 and the 2000 National Convention of the [[Green Party of the United States|Green Party]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/summit/2000/past_summit/table_e/index.html |title=List of Summit Meetings |publisher=MOFA |access-date=September 15, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Democratic National Convention |url=http://www.pepsicenter.com/Events/Event.aspx?eid=jBjB9FSNi20 |date=2008 |publisher=[[Pepsi Center]] |access-date=February 3, 2016}}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In 1972, 1981, and 2008, Denver also hosted the [[Libertarian Party of the United States]] National Convention. The [[Libertarian National Convention#1972|1972 Convention]] was notable for nominating [[Tonie Nathan]] for vice president, the first woman, as well as the first [[Jews|Jew]], to receive an [[U.S. Electoral College|electoral vote]] in a [[U.S. presidential election, 1972|United States presidential election]].

On October 3, 2012, the [[University of Denver]] hosted the first of the three 2012 presidential debates.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Illescas |first1=Carlos |title=University of Denver to host first presidential debate in October |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2011/10/31/university-of-denver-to-host-first-presidential-debate-in-october/ |publisher=Denver Post |date=October 31, 2011}}</ref>

In July 2019, Mayor Hancock said that Denver will not assist [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] agents with immigration raids.<ref>{{cite news |title=U.S. Cities Prepare For Planned ICE Raids |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/07/13/741118939/u-s-cities-prepare-for-planned-ice-raids-on-sunday?t=1567683134930 |publisher=NPR |date=July 13, 2019}}</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Denver County, Colorado|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|publisher=US Election Atlas |access-date=May 26, 2017}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|74,765|278,634|10,120|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|71,618|313,293|8,918|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|62,690|244,551|24,611|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|73,111|222,018|7,289|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|62,567|204,882|4,084|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|69,903|166,135|2,788|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|61,224|122,693|14,430|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|58,529|120,312|15,973|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|55,418|121,961|40,540|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|77,753|127,173|4,504|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|105,096|110,200|4,442|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|88,398|85,903|35,207|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|105,960|112,229|8,549|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|121,995|98,062|5,278|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|92,003|106,081|13,233|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|73,279|143,480|1,529|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|109,446|109,637|1,618|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|121,402|93,812|1,907|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|119,792|92,237|1,534|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|76,364|89,489|3,214|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|86,331|90,001|759|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|81,328|90,938|1,105|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|50,743|99,263|2,486|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|59,372|72,868|4,318|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|73,543|41,238|1,221|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|59,077|15,764|18,282|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|43,581|22,839|3,838|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|23,185|43,029|2,298|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|8,155|26,690|25,171|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|30,193|33,145|2,369|Colorado}}
{{PresFoot|1904|Republican|32,667|28,958|1,528|Colorado}}

===Taxes===
The City and County of Denver levies an [[occupational privilege tax]] (OPT or head tax) on employers and employees.
*If any employee performs work in the city limits and is paid over $500 for that work in a single month, the employee and employer are both liable for the OPT regardless of where the main business office is located or headquartered.
*The employer is liable for $4 per employee per month and the employee is liable for $5.75 per month.
*It is the employer's responsibility to withhold, remit, and file the OPT returns. If an employer does not comply, the employer can be held liable for both portions of the OPT as well as penalties and interest.