Denver City Council voted Monday, July 21, 2025, to reelect Amanda P. Sandoval as council president for the 2025–26 term and to elect Diana Romero Campbell as council president pro tem.

The leadership votes came during the council's weekly general session after members placed nominations on the floor and held roll-call votes. Councilmember Diana Romero Campbell nominated Sandoval for president; Councilmember Gonzales Gutierrez moved the motion to elect Sandoval. The final tally for Sandoval was 13 ayes. Cashman nominated Romero Campbell for pro tem; Gonzales Gutierrez moved to elect her and Councilmember Watson seconded; the pro tem vote was recorded as 12 ayes.

Council President Amanda P. Sandoval used her acceptance remarks to outline the year ahead and to highlight structural changes she intends to implement. "Beginning tomorrow, our committees will look very different, re redesigned to allow the priorities we set together to open new pathways for leadership amongst us and to make our work more accessible and transparent to the people we serve," Sandoval said. She also warned the council faces a budget shortfall and "potential layoffs, and rising prices on just about everything," and framed committee changes as part of responding to those pressures.

Nominators and multiple council members praised Sandoval's leadership and experience. Councilmember Diana Romero Campbell said Sandoval "has stepped up into leadership" and described her qualifications, including prior work as a council aide and an executive MBA program. Several councilmembers — including Torres, Paradis, Gilmore, Alvidrez, Watson, Cashman and Gonzales Gutierrez — offered remarks in support of Sandoval and thanked her for leadership during difficult issues the council has faced.

On the pro tem selection, Cashman said he had "watched Councilmember Romero Campbell be a relentless and successful advocate for her district," citing her work on parkland, safety projects and services for people experiencing homelessness and migrants. Multiple councilmembers who spoke in favor of Romero Campbell said that continuing her as pro tem will help her build leadership experience.

Formal actions
- Motion to elect Amanda P. Sandoval as council president for the 2025–26 term; mover: Gonzales Gutierrez; second: not specified in the transcript; outcome: approved, 13 ayes.
- Motion to elect Diana Romero Campbell as council president pro tem for 2025–26; mover: Gonzales Gutierrez; second: Watson; outcome: approved, 12 ayes.

Discussion vs. decision: the transcript shows nomination speeches and supporting remarks (discussion) followed by formal roll-call votes (decisions). Several members noted the practical demands of council leadership and thanked Sandoval and Romero Campbell for their service. Sandoval's remarks included strategic goals (committee redesign) and contextual concerns (budget shortfall) but did not include binding policy changes; those were framed as plans to implement in the coming year.

Proper names mentioned in the session included the Denver City Council, Amanda P. Sandoval, Diana Romero Campbell, and several councilmembers who offered remarks: Torres, Paradis, Gilmore, Alvidrez, Watson, Cashman, Gonzales Gutierrez. The transcript also referenced Sandoval's family and academic work (executive MBA) and named staff and community groups in her remarks.

What happens next: Sandoval said the committee redesign would begin immediately; specific committee assignments, any ordinance changes implementing the redesign, or budget actions tied to the warnings about layoffs and shortfalls were not decided during the July 21 session and will require future council action.