Denver's People's Budget unveils $2 million guidebook; ranked-choice ballots set for Cycle 3

Kiki Turner, Denver’s People's Budget program administrator, presented the Cycle 3 guidebook and announced the start of idea collection for $2,000,000 in participatory funds citywide and a separate $1,000,000 Near Southeast ballot.

Turner said the steering committee developed a rubric with five scoring criteria, including wellness and safety; long‑term impact and intentionality; accessibility; diversity, equity and inclusion; and respect and dignity. "We will be allowed to spend $2,000,000 throughout the next year," Turner said, describing eligibility and process rules for submissions and project delegates.

The program will allow anyone who "considers Denver their community" to submit ideas; project delegates must be at least 8 years old and live, work, or go to school in Denver to develop proposals. Turner said the committee chose ranked‑choice ballots for voting, calling it the only process in Denver that will use ranked choice in the coming cycle: "The ballots will be ranked choice next year." She noted that the approach had been used for the program in prior cycles and that it gives voters the chance to express nuanced preferences among projects.

Council members who spoke after the presentation praised the inclusivity of the process and the Near Southeast targeted allocation. Council Pro Tem thanked the steering committee for traveling from across the city to participate, and several members said they look forward to outreach materials and to supporting schools, jails, and other outreach sites where eligible voters may cast ballots.

Kiki Turner said community members on the steering committee range from teenagers to residents in their 70s, and that the program expects to receive hundreds of ideas and will narrow and score proposals next spring before placing finalists on community ballots. Turner's office will send share kits to council offices to help promote idea collection.